After Things Change
by xxGUSHINESSxx
Summary: A continuation story. Raven is mortified to discover she has developed an attraction to Beast Boy. Some things change for the better. BB/Rae, minor RobStar and Cy/Sarah. Rated for violence and mild adult themes. Complete.
1. After Things Change

**Author's Note: (Important info down below; please read)**

 _This story is meant to act as a continuation directly after the series finale "Things Change." Robin and Starfire are a couple following the events in Tokyo, and Beast Boy has finally let Terra go. The story will be told in third person mostly in Raven's POV. This story is rated M for violence and adult content. Updates are almost daily. Some events of this story will borrow ideas from the "Teen Titans Go!" comic that was based on the television series. I do not own Teen Titans or anything from DC._

 _ **Important notice:**_ _ **Some**_ _ **people view "Trouble in Tokyo" as the series finale, while others view it as a side story that could be placed anywhere after the fourth season. For the sake of this story, it will be the latter. Personally, I view "Things Change" as the finale, since in my opinion "Trouble in Tokyo's" sole purpose was to get Robin and Starfire together, as it didn't really tie up any other loose ends in the series.**_

 _I hope you enjoy, and please review so I know the time I dedicated to writing this story was well spent! Special thanks to TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne for acting as my beta reader and for helping me shape this story into how I envisioned it!_

~0~0~0~

There were only a few times in her life when Raven could recall her control slipping during a battle.

There was Malchior, sure, but his manipulation of her to use dark magic was not something she considered slips of her own powers per say. There was the time when her own suppressed fear had leaked out and attacked her friends on their movie night, but everything had turned out alright in the end. Other than that there might have been a couple of instances here and there, but they were minor. The point was Raven typically didn't lose focus during a battle.

This was not one of those times.

She could feel her energy draining. The Titans, sans Beast Boy, had been tracking this white creature for hours and hours. They had barely slept, hadn't found the time to eat a proper meal, and their battle tactics showed their fatigue as a result. They were becoming sloppy. Raven felt they had spent more time recuperating than they had actually fighting the wretched thing.

And they were no closer to subduing their opponent.

"We need Beast Boy," Robin had said, gritting his teeth, and Raven had to agree with him. If nothing else, the changeling surely had more energy than they had.

The other Titans stalled, giving Robin enough time to contact Beast Boy. Their battle had nearly destroyed the recycling center, reducing many of its machinery to metal scraps. The creature had taken the form of a molten liquid, so it was imperative that for the time being they attacked at a long distance range.

With a yell Cyborg fired his sonic cannon, the beam cutting right through the villain. Starfire let loose a barrage of starbolts from her hands and eyes. The creature quickly filled in the damage to its body, and tightening its fists, it shot a spray of molten material in every direction.

Raven created a force field in time to shield her friends from harm. As the current attack ended, she levitated forward and trapped the being in a large orb of black energy so it was obstructed from view. The thing beat tirelessly against her entrapment, and although Raven held strong, she could feel her resolve weakening.

Just as she felt ready to collapse she heard a crash to her left and looked over in time to see that Beast Boy had arrived.

"Beast Boy!" Robin called, the relief clear in his voice, despite the annoyance Raven knew he felt at the changeling's recent absences.

"It's about time, Man!" Cyborg called over; he too was excited at the green Titan's arrival.

Something was off about him though. He barely acknowledged the other Titans, and the look of determination that usually graced his features during a battle was absent. Raven figured it had something to do with this girl he saw; the one he claimed to be Terra.

Although Raven had bigger problems to worry about, for at that moment her concentration gave out and her force field broke. She shot backwards into a metal pillar, as the creature once again broke free.

She brought a hand to her pounding head, willing the pain to ebb. From her place on the ground, she saw Beast Boy transform into a tiger as he launched himself forward at the creature. Starfire gracefully weaved in and out of the white monster's attacks, managing to shoot a starbolt here and there. Beast Boy circled his opponent, effectively keeping the being contained to one area as Starfire continued her onslaught. While he and the Tamaranean kept the creature distracted, Robin bounded over to Raven's side.

"We need a different plan," he said, helping her up.

"What gave you that idea?" she replied in mild annoyance.

"I think I got one," Cyborg called over, as he prepared his sonic cannon again. "This thing transforms into the last material it comes into contact with. If we can get it to turn into something that's easily trapped, that will give us enough time to contain it."

"Then Raven can send it far away from the city," Robin finished, looking to Raven for confirmation.

Raven nodded in response, her head still pounding slightly.

Robin turned to Beast Boy, who had landed roughly a few yards away from him and had returned to his human form. The changeling rubbed his lower back in pain, staring at the creature with a slightly dumfounded expression.

 _Welcome to our world,_ Raven thought.

"Beast Boy!" Robin called, "Turn into a sheep."

Normally Beast Boy would have made a snarky comment or given the Titans' leader a curious look at the strange command, but Beast Boy did none of those things. Raven watched as the changeling looked at Robin blankly before turning into the requested animal. Cyborg picked the green mammal up before hurling the changeling at the creature, which had once again turned into a metal material.

Beast Boy collided with the creature in his sheep form, effectively turning the beast into a mound of wool. At that moment, Raven opened a portal leading to a vacuum in space. Starfire, catching onto the plan quickly, picked up the softened creature and flew it to the half-demon's window. She tossed the bundle into the abyss, and Raven sealed the portal before something else could go amiss.

It was over. It was finally over.

Cyborg and Starfire cheered while Robin grinned proudly at his team.

"Nice work, Titans," he commented, smiling as Cyborg clapped him on the shoulder.

Raven didn't pay the celebration any mind as she gazed past her celebrating friends. Beast Boy had shifted to his human form but had remained kneeling several feet away from them. After a few moments the other Titans followed her line of sight and began to regard their friend with concern.

"Beast Boy," Robin called, but his words fell on deaf ears.

As Cyborg and Robin exchanged a look of concern, Starfire carefully flew over to the changeling and knelt beside him. She tentatively reached out her hand and turned Beast Boy to face her. Raven briefly glimpsed the tears that pricked his eyes before his face was buried in Starfire's shoulder. He gripped onto the Tamaranean as if he was afraid he would blow away. Starfire shifted to face her friends with a troubled look on her face. Cyborg and Robin stared in shock and in slight discomfort at the scene.

Raven turned away.

~0~0~0~

Beast Boy went straight to his room without a word to anyone as soon as the Titans returned to the Tower. Robin had tried to have a talk with him but Raven had placed a hand on his shoulder, halting him in his actions. The best thing for the changeling was for him to be alone.

Raven went to fix herself a cup of evening herbal tea. She found that earl gray contained far too much caffeine for this late in the day, so she settled for chamomile. As she poured the hot water into her cup she glanced around ops.

Robin was pacing. That was to be expected. He cared very much about his team, and even though he couldn't possibly protect them from everything, Raven knew he felt partly responsibly for Beast Boy's pain, even if he didn't really understand it.

Starfire watched him pace with an anxious expression. She let him walk around, allowing him to get it out of his system before tugging gently on his forearm. A few months ago, Robin probably would have shaken her off, but the Titans' leader had managed his angst quite well since becoming an item with the Tamaranean princess. Raven, for one, was glad Starfire's sweet personality had had some influence on him.

The empath turned her head to the Titans' couch where Cyborg was engaged in one of the boys' many video games. Normally the cybernetic teen was quite vocal while playing, but he was strangely quiet even as his character died a particularly humiliating death.

The gloominess and uncertainty radiating from their auras left an unpleasant feeling in Raven's chest. She decided to retire for the night; Azar knew she could use the sleep.

After finishing her tea, she nodded her goodnight to her friends and then made her way to her room. As she passed down the hallways, she came to a stop in front of Terra's door. Raven stared at the engraving. It seemed wrong for it to still be there, for all of her furniture to still be there on the other side of the door. Granted, the scrappy teen had never cared much for furniture, but it was still hers nonetheless. Even though the idea of Terra still having a room in the Tower seemed absurd, Raven knew no one would ever touch anything.

The violet-haired Titan was jolted from her thoughts, as the door to Terra's room slid open revealing Beast Boy. The boy looked up as he tried to exit, but he froze as he locked eyes with Raven. It seemed both were just as surprised that the other was there.

Beast Boy suddenly looked embarrassed. He tried to tuck something behind him, but Raven had noticed the silver, heart-shaped jewelry box almost immediately after the door had opened.

Beast Boy shrugged past her, muttering a quick apology as their shoulders brushed. Raven watched him walk down the hallway. She watched him round a corner until she could no longer see him.

She felt a prick of annoyance. She wasn't entirely sure what had transpired between Beast Boy and this girl he claimed to be Terra, but he certainly wasn't making this easy on himself. He always saw the good in people. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it was a weakness when it came to her. Terra didn't deserve him; Raven knew that much. Although she no longer harbored a hatred for the girl, Raven still resented her. She may not have deserved a stony death, but she certainly didn't deserve to be called a Titan.

Feeling weary, Raven decided to retire her thoughts for the time being and opted to go to bed. As she entered her room, the wave of fatigue hit her all at once. She unhooked her cloak and uncharacteristically let it land on her floor instead of placing it in her closet. She would worry about it in the morning.

She didn't dream. She was restless, despite how exhausted she was. She drifted in and out of sleep, growing frustrated when it seemed she would not be able to stay asleep for more than a few hours.

As the sun started to rise, Raven opted to lay on her side with her eyes open. She watched what little stream of light her curtains allowed trickle into her room. After another hour she moved from her bed and carefully picked up the cloak she had discarded on the floor the night before. After wrapping herself in her protective layer, she exited her room and proceeded down the hallway. She intentionally avoided the route that would allow her to walk past Terra's room.

Once she was finally at her destination, she took a breath and knocked on the door in front of her. Cyborg opened it a moment later, the sleepy confusion prevalent on his face. Raven looked up at the hulking half-robot, knowing if she could count on anybody for this, it would be him.

"I need your help with something," she told him, and thankfully he seemed to understand.

~0~0~0~

Raven was grateful Cyborg could produce light, for if she had come on her own, she didn't doubt she would have bloodied her knees. Their footsteps echoed loudly against the hard stone, effectively scaring rats from their hiding places.

"Have to say I'm a little surprised you're doing this," Cyborg said, keeping his eyes forward.

"Why?" Raven asked, looking at him from the corner of her eye.

"Didn't think you really cared."

She would be lying if she said that didn't hurt slightly. Cyborg must have noticed her expression for he quickly clarified.

"About Terra, I mean."

"I don't," Raven responded coldly.

Cyborg nodded absently. "Tried talking to BB last night," he continued.

Raven slowed her walking. "Oh?"

"Felt like I was talking to you, the way he slid the door in my face," he said cheekily. His expression sobered after a moment. "Hope the little man's doing okay."

"He'll be fine."

"You're the only one that hasn't reached out to him yet," Cyborg said suddenly, stopping in his tracks. "Rob and Star went to talk to him after I did. But you-"

"-Can understand what it feels like to want to be alone?" Raven finished, her eyebrow quirking.

Cyborg reddened. "Point taken."

The two Titans moved on in silence. Several minutes passed before Raven spoke again.

"And I do care," she added softly.

Cyborg didn't respond, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to know they weren't talking about Terra anymore.

"We're here," Raven said, straightening.

Cyborg's shoulder lights scanned the floor of the cave, slowly moving up to reveal the pedestal where the statue of Terra stood…. or once stood.

Both teens' eyes widened in shock. So it was true then. She was alive. Raven turned to Cyborg, knowing he didn't owe her anything but also expecting him to follow her to their next destination. It turned out she didn't even have to say anything; the cybernetic teen was invested now.

It was mid-morning by the time they reached downtown Jump. A couple civilians brushed by them in a hurry, clearly late for work. Raven felt aimless. She wasn't even actually sure where she should go, but she figured retracing their steps was the best place to start. They came across the office complex, still very much in need of construction. It was foolish really, to expect to stumble across one particular person in a city of a few million.

Cyborg placed a hand on her shoulder in what she thought was a show of companionship but was actually to show her a potential lead. She turned to follow his line of sight and furrowed her brows in confusion.

There were two teenagers; both looked to be about sophomores in high school, dressed from head to toe in atrocious uniforms. One was a girl with pale skin and light brown hair, the other had jet black hair and a darker complexion. They were both giggling and glancing behind them, their backpacks slung over their shoulders. They were undoubtedly skipping their classes.

Before Raven could ask Cyborg his reasoning for pointing out the two girls, the latter had already started walking over to them. Raven trailed behind him, at a loss for words.

"Hey!" Cyborg called, causing the two to cease their giggling. "Mind if we have a word?"

The girls immediately narrowed their eyes in suspicion.

"I guess," the darker girl replied cautiously.

"What school you girls go to?" he asked them. Raven looked at her friend in utter confusion, still completely lost as to where he was going with this interrogation.

"Murakami High," the second girl answered, frowning.

"This a popular spot for students?" Cyborg questioned.

"Look we've got to go," the same girl responded, the two starting to back away.

Raven heard the girl with the darker skin mutter to her friend.

"First the green guy, now this?"

Cyborg also must have heard because his eyes suddenly lit up. He tossed Raven a small smile as if to say 'I told you so.' Raven merely rolled her eyes, but she was glad Cyborg had noticed the girls.

"Looks like we've got a lead," he said smugly, typing in 'Murakami High School' into his tracking systems. "It's this way," he instructed, pointing north.

When they arrived at their destination, they stopped in front of an iron fence. Raven didn't feel too keen on breaking into a school just to confirm what she already knew, yet something stopped her from just calling it quits and heading home. Cyborg sat down on the curb outside the school and Raven joined him, glad she had asked him to come along.

"I didn't mean to sound harsh before," he said, referring to his comments in the cave.

Raven shook her head. "I know you're just concerned for him. We all are."

"It's just weird, ya know?" Cyborg continued. "Why now? What made her come back?"

Raven stared at her feet. The other Titans' had talked over the possible causes of Terra's resurrection while they were tracking the white creature. Some were good theories-she suspected Robin was onto something when he mentioned the reverse effects after Trigon's defeat-but when it came down to it, none of them knew for certain.

Cyborg looked at her. "What do you think she said to him?"

"I'm not sure, but whatever it was, it did some damage."

"I don't really get it. I always thought she had a thing for BB," he mused.

"Things change. People change."

"Yeah but…this much? It just seems weird."

"She made her decisions long ago," Raven pointed out. "She was confused, sure, but she still made the choices that led her up to this point."

"I know. I just hate how he had to get caught in the crossfire."

Raven didn't have a chance to respond, for the bell rang signaling the end of the school day. Both Titans stood up and walked to the iron gate, their eyes scanning for any sign of this girl.

"Man…" she heard Cyborg breathe, and then Raven saw her.

She was standing at the edge of the courtyard, talking to one of the girls they had spoken with earlier. Terra laughed, slipping a lock of blonde hair behind her ear as she did so. She looked just like any other student, enjoying a beautiful day after class. If Raven didn't already know better, she would never have assumed there was anything more to this girl. It was surreal to see her in front of them, alive and well and happy.

While Beast Boy was suffering.

"What are you gonna say to her?" Cyborg asked her, his eyes never leaving the girl in front of them.

Raven wasn't sure what made him think that _she_ would be the one to say something, but as she watched this girl; this girl that used to be their friend; who used to be a Titan, it became clear whatever she said wouldn't have been worth the trouble.

Raven let her hands go limp; unaware they had been curled into fists.

"Let's go home," she told him.

~0~0~0~

When Raven arrived back at the Tower, she went straight to her room. She had thanked Cyborg once again for accompanying her but couldn't bear to stay in ops with the others. Even as she settled down to mediate she felt her mind wandering. It wasn't really fair was it? That after everything she just got to make a new life for herself. They might as well have not even met her at all. The more Raven thought about her, the harder it became to meditate. The flickering of her candles reminded her of the light in that cave; the fluttering of the curtains made her think of blonde hair.

Thinking she might just need a change of scenery, Raven phased through her floor all the way down to the ground level. Drifting through a window she tried to locate a decent boulder by the water. She almost stiffened when she saw him there.

He would have looked peaceful to anyone who wasn't an empath, but Raven could feel his churning emotions. He sat cross-legged on one of the larger boulders. His arm darted out in a sharp angle every now and then, and Raven observed he was skipping rocks.

Taking a deep breath, she levitated above the boulder next to him and sat down, mimicking his position of crossed legs. She noticed him stiffen beside her when he realized her presence. She didn't let it bother her, as she rested her forearms on her legs, closing her eyes as she did so. She started to allow her mind to drift…

"You here to talk to me too?" Beast Boy asked suddenly, effectively ruining her concentration.

Raven sighed, opening her eyes. She spared him a tiny glance.

"No. I needed a new place to meditate," she told him honestly.

"Oh," Beast Boy responded, clearly surprised.

Raven closed her eyes again. She vaguely heard Beast Boy shifting beside her, but other than that, this new location was rather calming.

"She didn't remember anything," Beast Boy murmured.

Raven's eyes opened again. She wasn't really sure how much time had passed, but she guessed at least several minutes considering the sun was starting to set. This admission from Beast Boy certainly was a surprise. She glanced at him. He stared hard at the water, one hand fiddling with that damn jewelry box again. She rested her hands on her knees, suddenly cautious. She was painfully aware that one wrong word could cause him to shut down again.

"But I think she wanted it that way. I don't think she _wanted_ to remember. O-or maybe she did, but she just didn't…she didn't want to see me anymore."

He said those last words in a way that made Raven think he was repeating them, whether from Terra herself or someone else, she didn't know.

"She said that things change," he went on, "and the girl I want her to be is just a memory."

"What do _you_ think?" Raven asked him.

He paused, caught off guard. Raven suspected he didn't think he would be asked such a question. She knew their friends meant well, but she wouldn't have been surprised if they had gently pushed him to try and get over Terra. As someone who had had a fairly similar experience with Malchior, albeit on a smaller scale, she could speak first hand that that was the last thing one needed to hear.

Beast Boy sighed. "I don't know. It's stupid but I just…a part of me always thought we would end up together."

Raven could hear the emotion caught in his throat, and she avoided her gaze to give him a moment. She looked out across the water, feeling a light breeze thread through her violet hair. Her thumb and forefingers rubbed her cloak slowly between her fingers.

"It's not stupid. Maybe if things had been different you would have, but it's true. Things change." She hesitated for a moment before placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Some things change for the better," she continued, the corners of her mouth tugging up just a little. "And even if they don't, you'll have your friends to help you."

Beast Boy thought this over, as Raven removed her hand from his person. He picked up Terra's jewelry box and cradled it in his hands, no longer trying to hide the object from her. After a few moments, he looked up at Raven with a half smile on his face.

"Wanna do me a favor?" he questioned, his mouth quirking upwards.

~0~0~0~

Raven couldn't believe she was in this wretched cave for the second time today. She got over it though, recognizing whatever Beast Boy needed to do here would be an important part of his healing process.

The changeling had morphed into a panther the moment they had stepped into the cave. Without Cyborg's shoulder lights or Starfire's starbolts, they were engulfed in total darkness. In hindsight, they probably should have brought a flashlight, but Raven blamed the spontaneity of the trip for such foolish decision-making.

She felt Beast Boy's fur press into her leg, a reminder that he wouldn't leave her stranded in the dark. With the green Titan as a tiger, Raven was left to hold Terra's jewelry box. It felt wrong in her hands. When Beast Boy had handed it to her, she had taken it tentatively as if the metal would singe her.

Beast Boy shifted back to his original form, and Raven knew they had arrived. She felt his hands run over her arms in the dark, searching for the box. Raven's nose crinkled as she felt one of his pointy ears brush her cheek. She cleared her throat as one of his roaming hands came dangerously close to grazing her breast.

At her annoyed, guttural noise Beast Boy let out a small squeal and muttered a hasty apology. Raven responded by pushing the box firmly into his chest to avoid further breaches of her personal space.

She listened to him shuffle toward the pedestal that she figured was nearby. It didn't take long before she heard the soft contact of the box on the stone structure. A moment later she felt Beast Boy's fur press against her once more, and she knew he was finished here. They travelled back in silence; not that there was any way for them to converse while Beast Boy was in his current state.

Raven squinted as the red sunset came into view, a sign that they were nearly out of the cave. Beast Boy returned to his normal form, and together they walked out through the entrance. He paused, turning back around to face the cave. He stared into it for a long while; long enough that Raven, of all people, began to get restless.

"Are we done here?" she asked dryly.

Beast Boy jolted, as if he hadn't realized his spacing. He scratched his head, suddenly looking embarrassed.

"There's one more thing…" he trailed off, and before Raven became too impatient with his hesitance he reached over and murmured his request in her ear, as if they had an audience that would eavesdrop.

When he pulled back from her, he couldn't meet her eyes. Raven presumed it was because he figured his request had seemed dramatic or unnecessary, and although she wasn't keen on dramatics, she could make an exception.

Summoning her powers, her eyes glowing in a magnificent white, she lifted her arms.

 _"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"_

The top of the cave glowed briefly in black energy before collapsing. A huge gust of debris engulfed their figures, but as it cleared it became apparent Raven had shielded them from harm with a force field. When the dust finally settled, the entrance to the cave was completely obscured, ensuring no one would be able to enter again.

Beast Boy turned to her then, his shoulders bathed in the red of the setting sun. Raven couldn't tell if the sun's color had touched his face as well, or if he was still embarrassed by his request, for his cheeks also had a light dusting of pink.

"Thanks, Rae," he said warmly, "for everything."

Then his face broke out into that irritatingly, goofy grin.

And she supposed that's when it started.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _Please let me know what you think so far and if this is something you might be interested in exploring further! I will update almost daily, depending on the amount of reviews I get per chapter. The more reviews I get the quicker I will post! Until next time :)_


	2. The Gift

Although it was better than the mall or the Jump City boardwalk, the park was definitely not one of Raven's ideal locations. There were far too many people, and all anyone ever wanted to do was run around playing some foolish game until they were sweaty and covered in dirt. Unfortunately she was dragged to this unholy spot of merriment and child drool seeing as it was Beast Boy's birthday, and he had requested a rousing game of football after they cut his cake.

Of course it had to be vegan cake too. The idea of eggs and milk, even mixed into a pastry was apparently too much for the changeling to stomach. Literally. Raven knew she wasn't the only who was less than thrilled at the dessert choice; the main difference between her and the others was she kept her opinions to herself.

"Alright BB, time to light this foul thing!" Cyborg boomed, sticking the birthday candles into the cake. He stuck his pointer finger out, allowing a small lighter to appear before he proceeded to ignite each candle.

Raven noticed with slight amusement that Beast Boy looked like a toddler would have on his birthday. He firmly grasped his knife and fork in each hand while his tongue hung out of his mouth in anticipation. She could tell underneath the picnic table his legs were swinging back and forth wildly. He might as well have been turning four.

As the Titans sang the happy birthday song, Starfire's voice rose up the loudest of all. Having been on Earth long enough to experience a few birthday parties, she was quite pleased to have memorized nearly all the traditions. When Beast Boy blew out his candles, she threw her arms around him, effectively crushing him in one of her hugs. Raven did not envy the birthday boy.

"Happy birthday, Beast Boy," Robin said, smiling proudly at the youngest member on the team.

"Yes, we are overjoyed to celebrate yet another day of birth!"  
"Soon you won't be a little man, anymore!"

"Thanks guys!" Beast Boy said smiling, addressing all of them. His eyes scanned over Raven. "Looking good, Rae-Rae," he added, winking.

Raven felt herself blush in annoyance and embarrassment. She had expected him to make a comment on her appearance sooner or later. She had been forced to wear one of those ridiculous party hats upon the request of the changeling. She would have flat out refused, but Starfire had insisted that Beast Boy's wishes should be honored on his special day.

Everyone sat down to eat cake, or at least pick at this vegan version of it. As Raven swallowed a forkful, she had to admit it wasn't nearly as horrible as she had anticipated. That didn't mean she _liked_ it.

She looked around at her friends. Cyborg had opted to skip the cake altogether, a bold move. He was currently engaged in a conversation with Robin about potential upgrades to the Tower's training room. Robin listened intently, his arm wrapped around Starfire's waist as she curiously picked at her slice of dessert.

Raven noticed Beast Boy appeared to be on cloud nine. He was happily chewing on his cake, looking around at the people milling through the park. Raven's eyes fell to the dollop of frosting that was currently smeared at the corner of his mouth. Sooner or later he realized it was there and began to lap at it. She watched as his tongue lazily swiveled to the side to scoop it up. His tongue continued to trail slowly over his lips. The movement mesmerized Raven. She had rarely seen him do anything with such deliberation. He must have felt her gaze on him, however, for he looked up at her, smiling innocently when he caught her eye. Raven hurriedly looked down, blaming her flaming cheeks on the stupid party hat.

She decided it was safe to discard the flamboyant, party accessory after the other Titans had begun their game of football. They had tried to coerce her into playing, or at least ref the game, but she had declined. As usual, she found a nice, shady tree where she could catch up on her reading, undisturbed.

At least an hour into her reading, she heard the tell tale stomping of the birthday boy himself. She glanced up to find him standing over her, his forehead gleaning with sweat and his chest heaving.

"Did you see me out there, Rae?" he asked, looking rather proud of himself.

She merely held up her book as if that was enough of an answer. Beast Boy playfully rolled his eyes before crouching down to her level. He placed his hands on his knees and leaned forward as if he had a secret to share. Raven was slightly unnerved by his sudden proximity. He was sweating for Azar's sake! Not to mention his damn tongue was out again, wiping the perspiration off his upper lip.

 _Get a napkin,_ she thought in annoyance, attempting not to stare at his crude mannerisms.

"You know, Raven," he started slyly, quirking an eyebrow, "now that I'm sixteen, we're the same age."

"How observant," Raven remarked dryly, preparing to return to her book.

"Does it bother you that we have that in common?" he asked cheekily.

Raven rolled her eyes. "I'll be seventeen in a few months. I think I can hold on until then."

Beast Boy, unfazed by her standoffish attitude-as he usually was-continued to press her.

"Soon I'll get my license, and I can drive you around places."

Cyborg and Robin were the only Titans who currently had driver's licenses. Starfire and Raven didn't really see the need, seeing as they could fly, but Raven supposed Beast Boy would tire from shifting on occasion and would prefer the convenience of car. Not that she would ever willingly get into an automobile with him at the wheel.

"Don't you have a game to get back to?" she remarked, growing irritated that she was missing out on valuable reading time.

Beast Boy smirked, jerking his head to the side. "We had to end the game early, 'cuz Cyborg's talking to this cute, blonde chick."

Raven craned her neck past Beast Boy to get a look for herself. Sure enough, Cyborg was animatedly talking to a young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. She wore a thick pink sweater vest with a button down, despite the stifling weather. Her thick hair was slicked back in a ponytail. Raven supposed she was pretty, but she wasn't really paying attention. She was too focused on the fact that both Cyborg and this woman were both equally excited to be in each other's presence. Despite Cyborg's exuberant personality, he often kept his love life on the down low, so seeing this interaction was definitely an oddity. She felt happy for him.

Starfire seemed quite pleased with their friend's interaction, for she was whispering rapidly into Robin's ear. The boy was nodding his head in agreement while occasionally blushing, most likely due to the fact that Starfire could be rather blunt at times.

"It looks like he's getting her number," Beast Boy observed, leaning in to whisper to Raven, while still watching Cyborg. The movement caused a bead of sweat to roll off his temple and land with a small splash on the skin of her thigh.

Beast Boy looked down and then back up at the empath rapidly. A sheepish smile appeared on his face when he noticed her lower eyelid begin to twitch.

It came as a surprise to no one when the birthday boy was promptly launched into a tree.

~0~0~0~

Immediately after the Titans returned to the Tower, Starfire and Beast Boy clustered around Cyborg demanding details. Who was this girl? Did she and Cyborg know each other? What was her name? Did he indeed get the 'the digits?'

Cyborg laughed at that last one. "Her name's Sarah. She volunteers at this great facility in Jump that helps kids with physical disabilities. She's applying to colleges all over the country, trying to get into one that will further her cause."

Raven watched as Cyborg's face lit up as he talked about this girl. He clearly was invested in her chosen career path for obvious reasons, but it was more than just that. He seemed to genuinely click with her.

"Did you get her number?" Beast Boy jumped in, cutting right to the chase as usual.

Cyborg grinned. "Got a date with her tomorrow night."

"Glorious!"

"Aw _sweet,_ dude!"

"Happy for you, Cyborg."

"She seems like she could be a good fit for you," Raven commented, coloring slightly when the other Titans looked surprised that she had given her input. "What?" she questioned.

Cyborg wrapped an arm around her. "Just like seeing my lil' sister so supportive," he said, affectionately. He moved away from her then, stretching his robotic arms. "Well I think I'm gonna go spruce up my circuits now that I've got the chance."

Cyborg moved over to Beast Boy, clapping him on the shoulder and wishing him another happy birthday before exiting ops. Starfire followed his lead soon after, claiming Silkie was in need of a bath. She pecked Beast Boy on the cheek before flying gracefully out of the room.

"Beast Boy, a word?" Robin asked the youngest Titan.

Beast Boy appeared confused at first but followed Robin out of ops without question, regardless of the ambiguity of the request.

Raven held in a sigh. She had secretly hoped Robin would retire for the night like Starfire and Cyborg. She had yet to give Beast Boy his birthday present, for like most things, she wished to do so in private. Cyborg had given him the newest version of _Mega Monkeys_ , a classic as they saw it. Starfire, who shared Beast Boy's love of "Earthen animal documentaries" bought him a new DVD set that they planned to watch together. Robin, like Raven, had not given the changeling his present yet, and apparently had chosen now to do so.

Instead of retreating to her room for the night, as she normally would have done, she remained in ops while she waited for them to return. She went over to the kitchen to fix herself a cup of herbal tea. She finished the cup several minutes later, glancing out the window of the Tower as she took her last sip. By now the moon had risen high in the night sky. They had been gone for quite some time.

Raven walked back over to the sofa and sat down, staring straight ahead. She wasn't sure why, but a bubble of anxiety pressed in her stomach. She knew it was from the anticipation of presenting Beast Boy with her gift, but she was nonetheless confused as to why she cared so much about it.

Just as she was starting to debate whether or not she should have gone back to her room, the ops doors slid open. Raven's head turned around. Beast Boy walked out alone, looking excited from whatever Robin had given him. He paused when he noticed Raven sitting on the sofa; apparently he was surprised she had chosen to wait up for him. Without hesitating further he jogged up to the piece of furniture and hopped over the back of the sofa so he landed next to her.

"Did you enjoy your present?" Raven asked, absently playing with the hem of her cloak.

Beast Boy beamed, his eyes practically glowing. "Yeah! It's so awesome! So do you remember how Star went into the future and saw all of our older selves?"

Raven nodded.

"Well when she told us about Nightwing, Robin drew up some ideas for a costume. _Then_ he thought about how I probably wouldn't want to stay Beast Boy forever, so he designed this cool new outfit for me when I'm ready to make the switch! I got to try it on and everything! It was white and red, and hugged in all the right places-"

Raven raised an eyebrow at this but Beast Boy was far too excited to be bothered by anything.

"-And then he helped me come up with this cool, new name! That's what took us so long," he explained, nearly out of breath.

"Please tell me it's something more subtle than Beast Man."

Beast Boy grinned. "Well that was an option, but I decided to go with Changeling."

Raven cocked her head to the side; surprised that Beast Boy of all people had come up with a name like that. "Not bad."

"Rob said we could make the switch together when we're ready. It's just super cool that he did this for me," Beast Boy said, his eyes still glowing. He looked out the window after a moment, turning a little melancholy.

"What's wrong?" Raven questioned, confused by the sudden sadness that radiated off of him.

"I don't know," he admitted, still looking out the window. "Sometimes I just think about where we would all go…if the Titans break up that is."

Raven didn't expect this from him. Sure, she had pondered a couple of times where things would lead once the Teen Titans weren't teens anymore. To be honest, it terrified her. She had grown so used to the companionship and kindness her friends had offered her that she couldn't imagine her life without them. It was ironic; on the outside she always seemed to crave solitude but in reality she could barely breathe thinking about it. It was probably the reason she tried to avoid this line of thinking in the first place.

"I didn't get a chance to give you my present," she told him. This wasn't true, she had had many opportunities, but anything to get him to change topics was a welcome distraction.

Beast Boy's demeanor instantly changed. His ears perked up and all his attention became focused on her. Raven's hands grew clammy. She had been confident in her gift all afternoon, but Robin just _had_ to one up her with this costume idea. She still hoped he could find some use for her present.

She reached her hand from under her cloak, her fist tightly clenched. Beast Boy opened his palm as she carefully placed the gift in his hand. When her pale fingers pulled away, Beast Boy glanced down at the shiny penny in his hand.

"You're…giving me back our lucky penny?" he inquired, clearly confused.

Raven cleared her throat, expecting his perplexity. It didn't escape her attention that he had referred to the penny as theirs, and it mystified her that they shared anything at all.

"It's a different penny," she explained, not wanting him to think she didn't appreciate the symbolism of what he had given her almost a year ago. "I used my spell book to give it magical properties. I could have done it with any object of my choosing, but…a penny seemed fitting."

He looked up at her in wonder, but she could tell from his face that he was still completely in the dark. His expressive features were hard to ignore, and Raven usually prided herself on ignoring things.

"Hold it tightly in your hand and concentrate," she instructed. "Think of something that makes you happy."

Beast Boy gave her a funny look but didn't press further. He did as he was told, closing his eyes as he focused. After a few seconds he looked at her expectantly. "Now what?"

Raven took the penny from him. She would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous about the effectiveness of the spell. She had never performed this type of magic before, and she wanted to make sure she had done it correctly. As she squeezed the penny in her hand, however, a rush of happiness overtook her, and she knew it had worked.

She handed the penny back to him and told him to grip it tightly once more. As his gloved hand clenched around the small, metal coin, his face lit up in pure joy and wonder. His hand went slack.

"Woah…" he breathed. "What was that?"

"I modified the penny so it will act as a sort of chest for your emotions. Every now and then if you think of a happy memory, those feelings of joy will flow into it. Then on a day where you're feeling down, you can hold it in your hand, and it can remind you of a time when you were happy," she explained.

She saw his face go slack as she spoke. She knew he was only processing the information, but it still made her worry. She had never been good at giving presents. Shopping wasn't exactly her thing, and she wasn't well versed in touchy feely experiences.

So needless to say when Beast Boy wrapped her in an enthusiastic hug, she couldn't help but feel relieved despite the fact he was invading her personal bubble. She felt something bloom in her chest and she wondered if it was the leftover effects from the penny. Nonetheless the feeling prompted her to lift one of her arms and give him a small hug back.

She was extremely aware of how close their bodies were. One of his hands rested between her shoulder blades while the other fell to the small of her back. His warm cheek pushed against the side of her head, so his pointed ear almost grazed her nose. She could feel her breasts pressed against his firm chest, could feel the skin of her exposed leg brush against his clothed ones. She felt a strange warmth dip low in her stomach at the intimate contact.

Raven broke the hug immediately after, horrified of her own perverted thoughts. Beast Boy seemed disappointed she had pulled away, but she figured it was probably due to the brash nature of her removal.

"I'm glad you like it," she mumbled, staring up at him awkwardly.

His disappointment faded as his signature smile took over. "This is so cool, Rae! I'm gonna fill it up with all my awesome memories tonight!"

Then before she could protest, he leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before getting up and bounding out of ops.

Raven sat by herself for at least another twenty minutes, combing over their interaction. Her chest was pounding, but she wasn't sure why. She had given him her gift hadn't she? And he had liked it, right? So why did she still feel like there was a knot of anxiety in her stomach?

She blamed fatigue for her jumbled feelings. She never would have analyzed a hug with Robin or Cyborg in such a manner, so why did it feel inappropriate to hug Beast Boy? She supposed out of all the Titans, she and the green Titan shared hugs that she reciprocated the least often. Even with Starfire's bone crushing embraces, she would at least lift an arm to tap out.

That was it. That was definitely the reason. Hugging him was a rarity, so it felt strange which was why she was currently overthinking things.

Satisfied with her conclusion, she retreated to her room before she drove herself completely bonkers.

~0~0~0~

Normally Raven didn't mind Robin's training methods, but even she could contend that this was overdoing it.

The Titans had been forced to wake up at 7am the next morning for a surprise evaluation. Robin occasionally enforced these when he thought his team was becoming too dependent on their powers. She wouldn't have cared, but the unpleasant awakening was just unnecessary.

Of course Robin was oblivious. He normally got up at this time anyway, with Starfire rising soon after. The two would often watch the sunrise together before the other Titans had awakened. Raven usually was in ops by 9am, fixing herself a deliciously warm mug of herbal tea. More often than not, Cyborg would follow her fifteen minutes later, and then Captain Tofu Eggs would arrive at ten o'clock. That's generally the time when the breakfast war would begin.

Needless to say other than Starfire, the Titans were none too pleased with their leader. Not that it mattered. When it came to training, Robin was all business no play.

As their leader read through the itinerary of drills they would be forced to perform for the next couple of hours, Raven caught a movement from the corner of her eye. She turned her head to see Beast Boy giving her a small wave. He held the penny between his fingers, showing her he intended to use his present. He pressed his green lips to the copper coin and pulled it away, as if to reiterate how lucky he was to have it.

Raven looked away so Robin would not chastise her for becoming distracted, but she allowed herself a discreet smile.

Robin eventually broke them up based on all of their individual weaknesses. Raven had to admit it was a clever strategy, even though that meant the training regiment was sure to be torturous.

Starfire was so used to flying everywhere that Robin thought she should improve her cardio. She was currently in the process of running three miles around the indoor track. Beast Boy's weakness-when he couldn't rely on his powers-was his stealth. This meant he had to complete one of the Tower's more difficult obstacle courses without shifting. Cyborg needed to work on his resourcefulness. Rather than be given a physical challenge, he had been ordered to defuse a fake bomb without the use of the tools he had on hand, literally.

As for Raven, it was time to hit the weights.

Oh how she loathed muscle training. She couldn't remember the last time she picked something up that had weighed over thirty pounds. There really wasn't any need to with her powers always at her disposal. Now that she thought about it, she most certainly was the weakest member on the team in terms of weight lifting, even though she considered Starfire's alien strength and Cyborg's robotic "muscles" to be cheating.

In order to easily lift the twenty-pound dumbbells she had been given, she had to remove her cloak. It felt strange, being so exposed like this in front of the others. It was the equivalent of working out in her sleepwear. Sweat beaded on her upper lip, and the front wisps of her hair stuck to her cheeks. It was embarrassing how much she was struggling. Thankfully the other Titans seemed to be too busy with their own tasks to pay her any notice.

"Your form is slightly off," Robin commented from behind her.

Curse him.

"Here," he said, shifting her wrists a little.

Raven let out a puff of breath, annoyed that his assistance had actually made lifting the dumbbells easier. Robin gave her a smug grin before his gaze slid over to the Tamaranean still running laps behind them. He couldn't be more obvious even if he tried.

"She's almost finished. I'd go over now if you want to get a view," Raven remarked dryly, pleased with herself when his cheeks reddened.

"Keep working," he instructed, but he was already moving in the direction of his girlfriend.

As Raven continued to pump iron-Azar how she detested that phrase-she caught a flurry of movement to her right.

Sure enough Beast Boy was swinging like a monkey from the obstacle course rings. Normally he would have actually _been_ a monkey, but considering Robin's orders he was still in his human form. He had discarded his work out shirt long ago, which left him in his dark gray gym shorts.

Raven paused in her workout, watching as he maneuvered from ring to ring. The muscles on his triceps rippled with each swing. A steady stream of sweat dripped down in between his shoulder blades and disappeared underneath the band of his shorts. Every time he caught himself on a ring, his back muscles would tighten and release in a fascinating rhythm. He was by no means "jacked" as Cyborg liked to call it, but Gar certainly had this lean muscly look to him that Raven assumed some girls would find attractive.

"Mm- _mm!_ He's looking fine today!" Cyborg's voice came from over her shoulder making her jolt in surprise. Her shock effectively caused her to drop one of the dumbbells onto her foot, and it took all of her concentration not to break every window in the Tower.

Sensing his teasing had gone horribly wrong, Cyborg bolted from the training room, abandoning his tools and causing the other Titans to look over at Raven in confusion.

Robin scratched his head in bemusement. "Well, we've been at it for a few hours. I guess we'll just call it a day."

As Raven grabbed her cloak she brushed passed Beast Boy, who looked like he was about to say something to her. She entered the girls' locker room, throwing herself down on a bench and massaging her temples. She heard the faint sound of Starfire's giggle coming from directly outside the locker room. Her face blanched as she heard the tell tale wet noises of a few kisses before Starfire entered the room, her cheeks still pink from running.

"Did you enjoy your working out today, Friend?" she asked, unabashedly stripping off her clothes in front of Raven.

Raven avoided her gaze. She knew the Tamaranean wouldn't care even if she did look, but that didn't mean she _wanted_ to.

"It was alright," Raven replied, subconsciously rubbing her aching foot.

Starfire threw her sweaty hair over her shoulder, exposing her glistening breasts. "I enjoyed it immensely. It is not often I break the sweat so easily from mere movement."

As she continued to remove her sweaty clothes, Raven allowed her gaze to slide over her. The alien was certainly a beauty, with her voluptuous curves and unique coloring. When she stretched arms, her long neck also extended. Her breasts bounced slightly as she brought her arms down, reaching for her shower supplies in her locker. There was a small patch of red hair in between the girl's thighs. Her legs were toned from running, and Azar they really did go on forever didn't they?

Starfire caught Raven's eye, and the empath immediately turned away in embarrassment. Starfire smiled, her eyes glowing with warmth.

"Do not be ashamed, Friend Raven. I do not mind."

Raven reluctantly looked back at Starfire, making sure to keep her eyes trained on her face. The alien's gaze was filled with a kindness and understanding that made Raven feel slightly less self-conscious. Leave it to Starfire to make nudity not a big deal.

Starfire giggled, sweeping her curtain of hair to the side to run her fingers through it. "I often forget how modest Earthlings are when it comes to their bodies. On Tamaran there is no such modesty. We use the suns rays to recharge ourselves, so it is often more efficient to wear less of the clothing to begin with."

Raven cocked her head to the side. She didn't know this detail about Starfire. It made sense though, why her costume revealed her skin in so many places.

"Well I didn't mean to stare. I was just spacing out," she explained, getting up from the bench.

Starfire nodded. "You did quite the spacing out during training as well."

Raven turned away, her cheeks burning. Just how much of a fool did she make of herself? She folded her cloak, anxious to do something to distract from her mortification.

"Raven?"

Said half-demon sighed, reluctantly turning around. "Yes, Starfire?"

The Tamaranean bit her lip. "Why are humans so insistent on pleasuring each other with their mouths?"

Raven hit her knee on the bench and fell over. She rubbed the injury incessantly, waving off Starfire's hands as the girl attempted to her up. Just how many times was she going to bruise herself today? Once the empath was seated on the bench again, she looked up at her friend.

"What are you talking about, Star?" she asked, thoroughly exasperated.

Starfire smiled shyly. "Robin and I have been doing the dating for a while now, and his requests are most interesting."

 _Please don't tell me about the requests; please don't tell me about the requests._

"We have already done the making out, and he has touched my _grebnacks_ on more than one occasion," she continued, oblivious to Raven's horror, "but he insists on _kissing_ them. It is most unusual."

 _Damn you, Robin._

Raven sighed. "That's...normal, Star. He just wants to become more intimate with you." She hoped that answer would satiate the curious alien.

Starfire cocked her head to the side. "I see. Do humans use their mouths for anything else in order to be intimate?"

Raven colored significantly, and because Azar hated her so, the image of Beast Boy's tongue trailing his lips for frosting popped into her mind.

Starfire let out an "eep!" as the lights in the locker room flickered violently before settling. Raven stared at the floor, still humiliated at how perverted her recent thoughts had been. She eventually cleared her throat, regaining her composure.

"Tell you what, I'll take you to the bookstore sometime and we can find something that explains all the…physical details of human intimacy. Is that okay?" she asked, her voice strained.

Starfire nodded eagerly, throwing her arms around Raven and crushing the smaller girl to her naked body. "Thank you, Friend!"

Raven gingerly removed the red head from her being. As she turned around to gather her cloak, she felt Starfire tap her shoulder.

"Raven, you should know that you have quite the desirable figure as well," she said, in reference to the smaller girl's earlier staring.

Raven hurried out of the locker room, so her face did not burst into flames.


	3. Wildfire

**Author's Note:** _Please note that this chapter borrows a few things from the TTG comic, which I do not own or claim to own. Keep in mind this is the TTG comic from the original show, not the comic for the "Teen Titans Go!" show._

~0~0~0~

It was the crack of dawn when the Titan alarm began blaring through the Tower's hallways. Everyone rose immediately, but their tired features indicated they were none too pleased about it. Robin opted to take his R-Cycle while Cyborg drove the other Titans in his T-Car. The threat seemed to be coming from uptown.

Beast Boy yawned obnoxiously from the back seat, stretching his limbs and accidently whacking Raven. The empath allowed her eyes to glow white in warning. Normally, she would have unleashed the full fury of her half-demon self, but she was too damn tired at the moment.

"I must admit the timing of this crime is most inconvenient," Starfire mentioned from the passenger seat, only slightly less chipper than usual.

"The sooner this is over with the better," Raven agreed, resting her chin on her hand.

"Uh-oh," Cyborg said, checking the scanners on his car. "Look's like there's something fishy above us. Rob, you getting this?"

"Yeah," the Titan's leader responded from the T-Car's screen. "Starfire, fly up and check it out. Then meet us uptown. Be careful," he warned, his concern for her apparent.

Starfire smiled and blew him a kiss before flying out the passenger window. Raven watched as she sailed up until she disappeared into the clouds. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to her left, thinking the changeling must have a death wish.

"What?" she deadpanned.

Beast Boy shrugged, looking fairly content despite the bags under his eyes. "I was just gonna say, you must have been dreaming about something awesome 'cuz you seem super cranky."

Raven's eye twitched.

"Maybe she was dreamin' about her secret crush?" Cyborg chimed in, not at all helping.

 _Wow, thanks for that two cents._

Beast Boy's eyebrows rose to his hairline. " _You_ have a secret crush, Rae?"

Raven glared as Cyborg made teasing eye contact with her from the rearview mirror.

"Of course not," she snapped, on edge.

"Aw, come on Raven. You can tell me," Beast Boy said, sliding into the middle seat.

Raven pressed against the window, unnerved by his incessant need to clog her personal space. She felt his foot brush against hers and wondered if it was by accident. She became frustrated when she wasn't sure if she wanted it to be.

"Stop bugging her BB," Cyborg chastised from the front. "Besides, we're here."

The Titans, sans Starfire, arrived at where the reported threat should have been, but it was hard to see through the crowd of people that had gathered. Raven created a black disk that she used to levitate her friends over the civilians and into the front of the crowd. They moved forward cautiously when they noticed a large male figure hunched over in front of them.

One look at this male, and Raven knew he wasn't human. If the odd coloring hadn't given him away, then the impact on the ground he'd made surely indicated his rather violent arrival to Earth.

"We're the Teen Titans," Robin spoke cautiously, as he approached the figure. "What is your business here?"

At being addressed the figure stood up, and Raven heard Beast Boy inhale sharply beside her. She also could not conceal her shock. This man's skin glowed a vibrant orange. His hair was a flaming red; his eyes the color of emeralds. His uniform was all too familiar. This man was Tamaranean.

"I do not mean harm," the man spoke, raising his hands. "I am merely here to see someone dear to me."

"Who are you here to see?" Robin questioned, narrowing his eyes.

The man regarded Robin seriously. "Her name is Koriand'r."

Raven exchanged confused glances with Cyborg and Beast Boy, but Robin seemed to know exactly whom he was talking about.

"What do you want with Starfire?" he asked, his protective instincts most certainly kicking in.

 _Ah,_ Raven thought. She hadn't known Starfire's name in Tamaranean, but it made sense that Robin knew. She watched this male from her friend's home planet, suddenly sharing Robin's need to protect her.

The man stood up straight, his eyes pleading. "I am her brother, Ryand'r."

~0~0~0~

Raven felt Beast Boy shifting uneasily beside her. She couldn't blame him; this was getting incredibly awkward.

Robin had suggested the five of them meet in a more secluded location while they waited for Starfire's return. He had chosen underneath a boardwalk of all places, and the tide was rising. Good thing she could levitate or her shoes would be goners.

"I've told her our new location so she should be here shortly," Robin informed Ryand'r.

The muscular Tamaranean nodded, looking over Robin. "And who are you to her?"

Robin looked a little unsure of how much information he should divulge to this stranger, but he relented. "I'm…her boyfriend."

Ryand'r cocked his head to the side. "Does she love you?"

Robin's face blanched and Cyborg and Beast Boy beginning snickering in the background. Raven rolled her eyes.

"Well, um…we haven't really been dating for that long," the Titan leader replied, tugging at his uniform collar.

"I see," Ryand'r said. "I only ask because I want the best for my sister. You see for a Tamaranean, our love is eternal. If she loves you, she will do so until her dying breath."

Robin's face became a comical mix of horrified and awestruck. Beast Boy burst out laughing beside him.

"Woooooah _,_ no _pressure!_ " the changeling blurted.

Raven smacked him upside the head.

"Friends!" Starfire called, having finally landed near them. "I did not find anything of use but-" her eyes found her brother's and her hands flew to her mouth as she gasped. A moment later they were in each other's arms.

"Aw, see that's nice. Why can't we hug like that?" Beast Boy said cheekily, elbowing Raven.

"Do you _want_ to get smacked again?"

As Starfire and Ryand'r broke apart, she turned to her friends. "We must show him the Tower! I am sure he is quite exhausted from his flight."

"Sure thing, Starfire," Robin told her.

"Hey out of curiosity, what's 'Ryand'r' in English?" Cyborg asked.

Starfire turned to Ryand'r expectantly, but he seemed confused by the question. Starfire frowned for a moment, but then she turned back to her cybernetic friend with a smile on her face.

"I believe it translates to 'Wildfire,' Friend Cyborg," she explained.

Ryand'r nodded. "Yes, of course. You may call me this then."

"Wildfire," Beast Boy repeated, nodding. "Sounds good to me."

~0~0~0~

When the Titans returned to the Tower-Wildfire rode in the T-Car due to his apparent exhaustion-Starfire disappeared with her brother to show him to his room. The other Titans gathered in ops to give them privacy.

"Did you know she had a brother?" Cyborg asked Robin.

Robin nodded. "She told me about him a while ago. He was targeted by Blackfire just like Starfire was. She was always much closer with him. He had been lost in space for many years…"

"Seems sudden, him showing up here," Raven observed.

"Well as long as Star's happy, then it's all good," Cyborg boomed, grinning. "I'm gonna go rustle up some grub. He must be starving!" He moved towards the kitchen, already pulling out some oven mitts.

"I guess I'll just wait here until Star gets back from showing him around," Robin said, sitting on the sofa.

"I'll be in my room," Raven told them, before exiting ops.

No sooner than five seconds after leaving the room, she heard the doors slide open again. She turned to find Beast Boy trailing her.

"Can I help you?"

Beast Boy looked at her sheepishly. "Well I _really_ don't want to be in the kitchen while Cy's cooking meat, and I thought…maybe we could do something together?"

Raven stared at him. It wasn't out of place for him to ask her to hang out. He did it quite often actually, but she always said no. Even now, she could tell he was already expecting her rejection.

She wasn't sure what prompted her to do it. Maybe she wanted to surprise him for once, or maybe it was because she had noticed the outline of the penny she had given him pressed against his belt. Maybe it's because she actually wanted to hang out with him.

 _Okay, let's not get crazy._

"Sure," she told him, becoming slightly amused when his jaw dropped.

"Wait, really?" he asked, his eyes bugging out of his head.

Raven rolled her eyes. "Don't make me change my mind."

Beast Boy grew a smile as wide as the Nile River. "I know _exactly_ what we should do!" And then before she could protest, he grabbed her by the forearm and dragged her all the way to the Tower roof.

Raven felt the warm breeze of the late afternoon across her cheek. It had been a very pleasant day in terms of weather. Not too hot, not too humid. She looked over at Beast Boy who had gone immediately to the edge of the roof as soon as they had gotten up there. She walked to stand beside him, wondering what she had gotten herself into.

"Check it out," Beast Boy said mischievously, pointing downwards. "This is the best diving spot on the entire roof."

"You took me all the way up here just so we could go down?" Raven questioned, dryly.

"Oh come on! Just give it a chance. It's really fun I promise."

Raven walked to the very edge of the roof, glancing down at the water below. She could see what Beast Boy meant. Any other spot on the roof and there would be rocks directly below. This was the only place she could tell with a straight shot to the water.

"You do realize hitting the water from this height would kill us, correct?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Beast Boy scoffed. "Well, _duh._ That's why we jump, break our fall halfway through and then dive the rest of the way. Here, watch."

He leapt off the roof with such grace Raven figured he had done this many times before. His human form plummeted until he was about halfway down where he turned into a hawk to break some of the fall. Finally, after his speed had slowed significantly, he morphed into a penguin and disappeared beneath the waves.

A few moments later he resurfaced, waving up to her. He morphed back into an eagle and soared until he was on the roof again. He transformed into his human form, bowing to no one's applause. He grinned at her expectantly, his uniform soaked and his hair dripping.

"Pretty neat, huh?" he said, waggling his eyebrows.

"So neat," she deadpanned.

Beast Boy playfully rolled his eyes and elbowed her. "Your turn."

"I don't think so."

"What's the matter? You scared?"

"Hardly."

"Then do it."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Please, for me?"

"No."

"Please? Please! Please! Please! Please-"

"Okay!" Raven snapped rubbing her temples. " _One_ dive. Just to try it. That's it."

"Awesome," Beast Boy grinned, his ears drooping from the water despite his excitement.

When Raven began to make her way to the edge of the roof however, he held her back.

"You should take off your cloak," he instructed, "or else it will slow you down."

"Isn't that the point?"

"Yeah, but you can levitate. You don't want to slow down that much or else it won't be as fun," he explained.

Raven would have gladly protested more, but she was shocked silent as Beast Boy stepped very close to her. His damp hands came up carefully and rested on her collarbone. He fumbled with the clasp on her cloak for a moment before his fingers found it. He gingerly removed the garment, lifting it over her shoulders and letting it glide down her back. His hands brushed her shoulders as the cloak completely left, leaving her standing in just her leotard.

A fiery blush had formed on Raven's cheeks. Her mouth was slightly open, considering she was stuck between complete outrage and utter embarrassment. Her heart was pounding so hard that she was sure he could hear it with his advanced hearing. The way he had delicately brushed her; the way he had removed her cloak had been so…intimate.

Even Beast Boy seemed to sense something was improper about the moment, for when he glanced down at her body his cheeks had a light dusting of pink. He stepped away from her clearing his throat.

"There, you're perfect."

Raven turned away from him, her blush still radiating. She wasn't sure if it was just a slip of the tongue or if he had actually meant the compliment, but either way it felt…nice.

She stepped towards the edge of the roof, looking down at the churning water. Her stomach flipped nervously. Sure, she could levitate, but she had never done anything like this before. She looked to the side as Beast Boy came up next to her. He gave her a shy smile. Of course, she should have known he wouldn't have made her do it alone.

 _Well, it's now or never I suppose._

She inhaled sharply and then jumped. She felt herself in free fall, vaguely aware that Beast Boy was right beside her. When she figured she must be halfway down, she levitated to slow her fall, before letting herself go the rest of the way. She straightened her arms, slipping through the water like a blade. She dove several feet down, and then came to a stop, momentarily suspended in the water. She felt a current around her and realized it was Beast Boy in his penguin form, circling her.

She watched as he moved, turning in the ocean as though he was a dancer. In comparison she let her body go limp, allowing the water to hold her as she became mesmerized by his turns. He turned back into his human self again, swimming up to her and briefly taking her hands.

It was only for a moment, but for some reason she still felt like she was in free fall.

They swam up together, breaking the surface almost at the exact same time. Beast Boy laughed, rivulets of water streaming off his face. He turned to look at her, his eyes shining.

"What do you think?"

Raven considered his question for a second, and then shrugged. "It wasn't awful."

"Want to do it again?"

"No."

~0~0~0~

Starfire seemed surprisingly melancholic at dinner, Raven noticed. She had to give Robin credit for trying to engage both her and Wildfire in conversation, but neither of them really seemed to be having it. Perhaps they had a lot of baggage to sort through.

Raven couldn't stop this annoying feeling digging into her mind, telling her something wasn't quite right. Wildfire apparently hadn't been to Tamaran in years. He had been lost in space. Why come to Earth? Why not communicate with Starfire beforehand?

After dinner Wildfire quietly asked Starfire a question and she appeared hesitant, but finally nodded. The two left ops, leaving Robin to look after them with concern written on his face.

"I don't know what to do," Robin said softly, still staring at the door.

"It's probably weird for them right now," Cyborg reassured him. "They'll work it out."

Robin shook his head. "Not that. It's this whole 'Tamaraneans feel love forever thing.' Do you think that's really what happens?"

Raven exchanged a glance with Beast Boy and Cyborg. To be honest, she was surprised Robin was evening mentioning something like this in front of them. She understood his concern. If Starfire ended up falling in love with him, 'until her dying breath' as Wildfire put it, it could be detrimental depending on how their relationship went. At the same time if it was true, it wasn't fair to act differently around Starfire for something she couldn't control.

"I'm sure it'll work out, Dude," Beast Boy said, giving him a half smile.

Robin nodded absently. He walked out of the room wordlessly, apparently retiring for the night. Cyborg shook his head pityingly.

"Man, I hang it when he gets angst-y."

Raven and Beast Boy nodded in agreement. Cyborg stretched his arms and let out a big yawn.

"I don't know about y'all, but I'm still wrecked from this morning," he said, referring to their early wake up call. "I'm gonna hit the hay."

"Night, Cy," Beast Boy said, plopping down on the couch.

Raven nodded her goodnight, and Cyborg left soon after that. She turned to face Beast Boy.

"You're not tired?"

Beast Boy leaned against the back of the couch. "I just gotta add something to my penny first," he explained, taking out the coin.

Raven nodded, turning away. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but it seemed like Beast Boy's newest happy memory might have involved her. Raven left the room to give him privacy, but as the ops doors closed behind her, a wave of dread washed over her.

She knew this feeling.

It was small, but it was growing. She had felt this way with Malchior once. She had felt like she was on top of the world. She had felt like she was more than just that creepy girl who liked to be alone.

She was treading dangerous waters, and if she wasn't careful, she would only go deeper. She needed to meditate. She was overtired; that was the only reason she felt this way. She would tell herself that for as long as it would fool her. Content with her excuses, she made her way to her room, retreating into solitude once more.

It couldn't have been more than eight in the morning when Raven was jolted from her sleep by a large crash.

 _Not two mornings in a row,_ she thought tiredly, but then became confused when she didn't hear the familiar Titan alarm. She sat up in her bed, debating whether or not it was her imagination, when another crash hammered against the walls, shaking her room.

She bolted from her bed instantly, grabbing her cloak and swinging it over her shoulders in one motion. As she raced down the hall, she caught Beast Boy exiting his room in a similar fashion. He gave her a wild look, but she just shook her head, unable to give him an explanation. The two Titans continued to head in the direction of the crashes, finally emerging into ops.

Raven certainly didn't expect to find the sight before her. There was food slathered on the walls, the sofa was overturned, and glass pieces covered the floor. Cyborg and Robin were doing their best to restrain an enraged Starfire. Her eyes blazed green as she screamed, switching back and forth from English and Tamaranean. Wildfire pressed himself against the Tower's large, front window, his eyes wide in alarm.

"What's happening?" Raven asked, raising her voice over Starfire's yelling.

Cyborg turned his head as he struggled to hold the alien back. "We don't know! We just found her like this!"

"Starfire, _calm down_ ," Robin ordered, trying to regain some semblance of control.

She was filled with a fury the other Titans had rarely seen. With one final lunge, she finally broke free from her friends' grasps. She sailed towards her brother, her arms outstretched as she slammed into him. The force broke the Tower's window, and the two Tamaraneans plummeted out of sight.

The other Titans' sprinted to the cracked window, looking down. The two were safely at the bottom, although it appeared as though Wildfire's safety would soon be compromised. Raven levitated the boys and herself down to the Tower's foundation where they could try to make some sense of the situation.

"Please Sister," Wildfire pleaded, his hands raised. "I do not know the reason for your anger."

"You have tricked me!" Starfire cried, her hands charged with energy.

At those words, Raven took a fighting stance, the other Titans not far behind her. If Starfire believed she had been deceived in some way, then they would have her back in an instant.

Robin pulled out a bird-a-rang, but Starfire plucked the device from his hand and launched it directly at Wildfire's heart. The other Titans looked on in shock and horror, but Starfire knew better. In an instant the Tamaranean male in front of them morphed his body into an irregular shape to avoid the flying object. As he reformed it became clear he was not a _he,_ but a _she._

Madam Rouge.

"She has been doing the posing as my brother," Starfire told them, her voice laced with pain.

That was all the information they needed.

"Titans, go!" Robin cried.

Beast Boy charged as a rhino at full speed. As he approached Madam Rouge, however, she curved her body at the last minute, so he missed her entirely. She jumped back as a barrage of starbolts flew her way. Madam Rouge extended her arm, using the appendage to wrap around Starfire's waist. She then hurled the Tamaranean directly at Cyborg and the two Titans crashed into the water.

Robin and Raven were next.

Raven used her powers to shield Robin as Rouge swept her elastic arm in his direction. As the barrier broke Robin launched himself forward, extending his bo staff. The two engaged in close combat while Raven watched from above, trying to figure out the best way to apprehend Rouge without injuring Robin.

She turned her head as she felt a fluttering near her ear. Beast Boy, as a hummingbird looked at her, seemingly waiting for her direction.

"I'll take her from the left, you attack from above," she told him, and the little, green bird flew off to where he was told.

Raven landed to the villain's left just as Robin was knocked to the ground. Raven wrapped her energy around Rouge, causing her to trip up. She then rolled out of the way, just barely escaping Beast Boy as he crashed down as an elephant. As Madam Rouge got to her feet, she was knocked down yet again by Cyborg's sonic blast. From her place on the ground, the villain used her elbows to give her leverage as she extended her elastic legs. She used them to sweep all of the male Titans off their feet and back onto the ground.

As Rouge rose once more, Raven was prepared to go in for another attack, but Starfire intercepted her and lunged for the villainess. The two crashed into the water and were not seen for several moments.

"Starfire!" Robin called, preparing to leap in, but there was no need. She rose a few moments later sputtering.

"I…cannot locate her," she told them, severely disappointed.

Beast Boy dove in as a penguin to check, but he too came back empty-handed. He helped Starfire from the water once he was back in his human form. The two Titans clamored onto land where they could join up with the rest of their team.

~0~0~0~

"How did you know it wasn't him?" Cyborg asked as he and the rest of the Titans begin cleaning ops.

Starfire's shoulder slumped. "I knew something was wrong when he could not translate his name. Later when I led him to his room, he wished to see everywhere else in the Tower. I told him I would give him 'the grand tour' in the morning. By then, I knew this could not truly be my brother."

She turned to Robin, her eyes revealing her misery. "Please forgive me for allowing this imposter to stay in the Tower. I simply still clung to the hope that it truly was him, when deep down I knew it could not be."

Robin walked over and wrapped his arms around Starfire. "It's okay, Starfire. I'm sorry it didn't turn out to be him."

Starfire sniffed, returning the hug. When she broke away a small smile was on her face.

"If my brother is still out there, then I hope he has found his place, as I have found mine."

She grabbed all of them in her arms and lifted them in a giant group hug. Beast Boy's ear plastered itself to Raven's face, and the empath did her best not to break any more of the Tower's windows. Starfire released them a moment later looking around the room.

"I suppose in my rage I may have done a bit too much of the smashing," she said sheepishly.

Cyborg waved her off. "Don't worry about it. We'll have it cleaned up in no time." As he spoke, the cybernetic teen shifted his arm into a vacuum like device and began sucking up the shattered glass on the floor.

Starfire lifted the sofa and turned it on its proper side. "I was surprised how much Madam Rouge knew about my people's culture. She must have done much of the researching. She did, however, make a few critical mistakes."

Robin perked up at that. "Yeah…now that you mention it when she was impersonating your brother she said something about 'Tamaraneans' love being eternal' or something like that," he mentioned, chuckling.

Starfire laughed lightly. "Oh yes! That is true."

Robin slipped and fell behind the kitchen counter. Raven rolled her eyes.

Later that night when she thought everyone had gone to bed, she fixed herself a cup of herbal tea. She had stayed up late to fix the remaining damage to the Tower's window, for she didn't want any insects making a home in their kitchen. As she sipped her tea she inspected the window, pleased with her work.

She almost didn't hear the ops doors slide open, but Beast Boy wasn't exactly known for being quiet so she figured out it was him fairly quickly. He glanced in the direction of the kitchen and smiled.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, bounding over to her.

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied, gripping her drink.

Beast Boy grinned and patted his stomach. "Midnight snack," he said, brushing past her to open the fridge.

Raven moved to give him space, not particularly keen on being anywhere near tofu. She leaned forward until her elbows rested against the counter. She stared into her tea, wondering if he had chosen this moment to go to the kitchen, knowing she would be here.

Feeling suddenly uncomfortable with her own thoughts, she turned to face the changeling who was microwaving _something_ tofu related.

"I guess Robin chilled out a bit," Beast Boy remarked without turning around.

"Oh?"

The microwave beeped, and he took out his dish, hoping onto the barstool across from her.

"Yeah. Star told me she explained the details about the whole 'loving someone forever' thing to Robin. I guess she had been avoiding the conversation, so he didn't freak out." He shoved a forkful of tofu into his mouth.

"And he's okay with it now?" Raven questioned, taking another sip of her tea.

Beast Boy shrugged. "I mean he's crazy about her, so I don't think it'll be a huge deal in the long run. They're way too good of friends to let something like that get in the way."

"Still, it must be hard for her."

Beast Boy regarded her curiously. "Why? Does she love him?"

Raven narrowed her eyes. "How should I know?"

"I thought you could sense our emotions or something."

She sighed. "I try to block them out. There are certain things I suppose I _could_ find out if I wanted to, but it would be an invasion of privacy…so to answer your question, I don't know."

Beast Boy nodded, taking another bite. "You're totally right, though."

"About what?"

"The whole loving someone for eternity; it probably sucks."

"Well to put it lightly, yes."

Beast Boy gave a pained smile, staring down at his food. "I can't imagine having to live my whole life still stuck on Terra."

"Are you still stuck on her?" Raven asked, and then felt her teacup crack a little between her fingers. "Never mind. You don't have to answer that," she added quickly.

Beast Boy looked up, giving her a smile that held no humor. "No, I don't think so."

They lapsed into silence. Raven watched him as he ate, her thumb unconsciously running over the crack in her mug.

"What about you?" he inquired. "And…Malchior?"

He seemed nervous asking, but he shouldn't have been. She was the one who had brought up old flames in the first place.

"That was a while ago," she told him. "So yes, I'm over it."

Beast Boy nodded absently, finishing his tofu and then passing by her to dump it in the sink. He leaned his back against the counter beside her, the backs of his elbows holding his body up. She turned her head to regard him carefully.

"I guess you and I aren't really good at the whole romance thing," he said cheekily.

"I guess not," she said softly, still looking at him.

After a moment Beast Boy's smile dropped, and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. Raven immediately turned away, pretending to busy herself with the dishes.

"…I think I'm gonna go to bed now," he told her, moving away from the kitchen.

Raven nodded from where she was at the sink, not daring to turn around. When she was sure he had left, she bent over the sink, burying her face in her hands.

She had tried so hard. She meditated; she concealed everything she thought might one day hurt her. She had tried to keep her distance and found she could not. None of it had made a difference. She carefully lifted her head, resting her chin on hands. Her fingers covered her lips as she stared at the blank kitchen wall in front of her.

No use denying it now. Azar be damned; she was attracted to Beast Boy.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _Now the fun begins! Btw, Madam Rouge disguised as Ryand'r was from the TTG comics, so I thought it would be fun to put my own twist on it. Starfire loving eternally is also cannon; she actually does end up loving Dick Grayson forever, which later creates complications. I love how Robin was portrayed in the show, but let's be real, he was kind of a dick in the comics, no pun intended._

 _As for the action plots in my story, while this story is a BB/Rae fic, I think it's important for a lot of the adventures they have be a part of Starfire's culture and background. It's only fair seeing as she wasn't giving a season of her own. There will definitely be a trip to Tamaran at some point. Anyway expect more events from the TTG comics coming up!_


	4. The Beach

**Author's Note:** _That last chapter was pretty sad for Starfire…so how about something a little more light-hearted for all of us?_ _(Evil laugh) Let the fun begin._

~0~0~0~

"A _what_ day?" Raven deadpanned.

"A beach day!" Cyborg boomed, slinging his arm over the pale girl's shoulders. "And according to my scanners, the weather will be perfect tomorrow!"

"Oh, I cannot wait!" Starfire cried, spinning in the air. "The day of the castles of sand and the trunks of swimming will be most enjoyable!"

"Can't wait to catch some _gnarly_ waves, yo!" Beast Boy chimed in, laughing.

"You're on board for this?" Raven asked Robin skeptically.

Robin shrugged. "Everyone needs a day off once in a while."

 _Or a day to look at Starfire in even less clothing_ , Raven mused, not buying his act.

"Come on, Raven. You in?" Cyborg asked eagerly.

Raven looked around at all of their eager faces. She let out a large sigh.

"She didn't say no! We're doing this!" Beast Boy cheered, racing out of the room to pack a bag. The other Titans disbanded shortly after to do their own individual preparations. As Robin passed Raven, he gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder.

Raven sighed. It's not that she particularly hated the idea of a beach day-she just disliked it thank you very much-rather it wasn't really her scene. She already didn't like the idea of prancing around in minimal clothing in public, but now that she had acknowledged her attraction to Beast Boy, she had to try especially hard to control her powers around him. Somehow she didn't think him invading her personal space while being shirtless was going to help her cause.

The empath was brought back to reality once she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to find Starfire regarding her nervously. She tapped her two index fingers together in a manner that was all too familiar to Raven. She already knew what was about to come, and she had no time to brace for it.

"Friend Raven, I was wondering if you would accompany me to the mall of shopping today to select a new swim garment?" Starfire inquired timidly.

On a normal day, Raven would have flat out refused. That being said, she was entirely sure she did not possess a single bathing suit, and it had been a while since she had been to the mall with Starfire. Although it certainly wasn't Raven's first choice of activity, she knew it meant a lot to the alien princess.

"Alright Starfire, I'll join you."

"Glorious!" Starfire celebrated, her eyes lighting up.

The elated expression on her friend's face almost made the prospect of going to the wretched mall worth it. Almost.

The two arrived within the hour. Raven really didn't know where to even begin, so she was actually grateful when Starfire dragged her from store to store. They came across one shop that appeared to be dedicated entirely to lingerie and swimwear, so Starfire made it a priority to visit there.

"What do you think of this one, Raven?" she asked, holding up a green G-string thong.

Raven's face blanched. "That's more of something you would wear _under_ your clothes, Star. The swimsuits are over here."

"I see," Starfire said curiously, laying the G-string down and floating over to inspect the bathing suits. "Oh Raven, you would look lovely in this color!"

Raven stared at her blankly as she presented a sky blue bikini. Not only was it too bright of a color, but also it showed far too much skin than what she was comfortable with.

"I don't know, Starfire. I think I might go with something a little simpler." She glanced at a dark purple one-piece, but then decided against it.

"You must at least try it on!" Starfire insisted, shoving the swimwear into Raven's arms. The Tamaranean must have noticed Raven's look of skepticism, however, for she also plucked a plain, black bikini from the rack.

"Star, I really don't think I'm comfortable wearing something like this," Raven said, suddenly feeling miserable.

Starfire landed on the floor, looking at her friend with sudden affection. She bent down so she could talk to her on a more intimate level.

"I fear you doubt yourself too much sometimes, Raven," the redhead told her gently. "If you do not choose to wear such things because it is not akin to your style, then so be it. But do not let your worries make such decisions for you, for they are unfounded."

Raven glanced up at Starfire in shock. Was she really that much of an open book, or was the alien princess just incredibly perceptive? Either way she supposed there was no harm in at least _trying_ the damn things on. Raven gave a small nod to address her friend, and then proceeded to the dressing room.

Right away she knew the light blue one was not for her. Not only was it an obnoxiously bright color, but it also crisscrossed in a manner that pressed her breasts together in an unnatural way. After she had removed the swimsuit, she glanced at the black bikini Starfire had handed her. It wasn't overly revealing, and the color certainly wasn't showy. Maybe she should give it a chance. She quickly dressed herself in the second bathing suit, turning to the mirror when she was finally done.

It was…interesting.

It definitely wasn't this life-changing attire that instantly made all of her insecurities go away, but she supposed it could be considered flattering. The back of the suit tied around her neck in a fairly thick strap, rather than the strings some of the other bathing suits had. It wasn't a push-up, which she appreciated, but it exposed the gentle swell of her breasts in a way that was subtle enough. The bottoms hugged her bottom tightly, and showed off maybe a little more than she would have liked, but it was nowhere near obscene. As Raven's reflection stared back, something occurred to the empath.

She looked…kind of pretty.

It was a nice feeling, and certainly eased some of her worries. She heard Starfire's knock on her dressing room door and, feeling a little bold, she invited her inside. The redhead wore a golden yellow string bikini that, of course, looked absolutely stunning on her. As Starfire took in the appearance of her friend, her eyes glowed, and she smiled wide.

"Oh Raven, you _must_ purchase this one!" she insisted, bobbing up and down in the air.

Raven snuck another peak at her reflection. She decided she didn't need any more convincing.

~0~0~0~

The following day the Titans' loaded up the T-Car and began their journey to the beach. The day before, Starfire had also purchased a cover up, which she wore now. Raven on the other hand, opted to stick with her cloak, which she wrapped tightly around her for the duration of the car ride. It didn't go unnoticed.

"Do you _ever_ take that thing off?" Beast Boy asked in the back of the car. He reached over Starfire to poke Raven in the side. Raven glared at him but otherwise remained silent. She was too nervous to threaten him today.

"See, what did I tell you? The sun's never been brighter," Cyborg remarked proudly, sticking his arm out the window. "And looks like we're almost there!"

Sure enough, in the following minutes the T-Car pulled over to the side so the Titans could unload the trunk. As Robin exited the passenger seat, he surveyed the empty beach site and frowned.

"It's a beautiful day. Where is everybody?"

Cyborg grinned. "No one comes to this stretch of the beach because of the wicked under tow, but I figured us heroes could handle it."

Raven's spirits lifted slightly. At least there wouldn't be any screaming kids kicking sand in her face. Today could actually be some fun.

So of course it made sense when Beast Boy promptly dropped the full cooler onto her exposed foot. The changeling darted away before she could maim him for his mistake, however, so she just had to let that one go.

After the volleyball net, the grill, their blankets, an umbrella, and everything else one could possibly imagine to bring to the beach was set up, the Titans finally began what they had set out to do.

Relax.

Starfire shed her cover up to reveal her golden swimwear. She instantly flew into the water alongside Beast Boy who had shed his shirt moments upon arriving at the beach. Meanwhile Cyborg and Robin began a competitive game of volleyball while Raven spread a blanket under the umbrella and opened a book.

The half-demon didn't care much for the water or for sports, so she was content to sit alone under her cover of shade. After she had finished the first chapter of her novel, Raven glanced up to observe the others. Starfire and Beast Boy appeared to be having an underwater race, while Cyborg and Robin had moved on to constructing the largest sandcastle known to man. With her friends distracted, Raven felt like now was as good a time as any to shed her protective layer.

Inhaling shakily, she reached her fingers up and undid the clasp of her cloak. She let her last remaining cover fall on the blanket beside her; the only thing covering her being the black bikini she had purchased yesterday.

No one seemed to notice. Maybe she really was overthinking things.

Raven finally began to relax. Her back leaned against the umbrella's post, and she spread her legs out in front of her, crossing them daintily. Her book lay open across her lap, and she began to read the next chapter.

"Hey Rae, I'm totally frying over here. Could you get my-"

Raven's head snapped up at Beast Boy's pause. The changeling, always the subtle one, was currently standing in front of her with jaw hanging open. Raven could tell he was having trouble processing the fact that she was no longer covered in a cloak, but for Azar's sake did he have to make her feel like she was under a microscope?

Cyborg and Robin had also taken notice of her state of undress, and although they seemed mildly surprised, they were much more composed. Cyborg walked up to Beast Boy and elbowed him hard in the side, smiling apologetically at her. Sometimes Raven honestly didn't know what she would do without Cyborg.

After Beast Boy seemed to regain some of his brain cells, he shook his head as if to remember what he was about to say. It didn't go unnoticed to Raven that his cheeks were tinged pink, but she remembered he had been complaining about a burn, so she didn't pay it any attention.

"You were saying?" she prompted, after it appeared he would not be speaking anytime soon.

Beast Boy scratched his head in embarrassment. "I was just gonna ask if you could toss me my sunscreen."

Raven cocked an eyebrow, but placed down her book and ruffled through Beast Boy's drawstring bag. Once she found what she was searching for, she got up and walked out of the cover of the umbrella. The warmth of the sun's rays shone on her shoulder for a moment as she handed him his sunscreen. The moment didn't last long, for she instantly retreated into the shade of the umbrella after she had done what he had asked.

Beast Boy watched her as she picked up her book again and continued reading. Raven could feel his eyes on her, but she painstakingly ignored him. She became cautious as she felt his weight plop down next to her under the umbrella. He didn't have anything to lean against so he placed his arms behind him to support his weight. He stretched his legs out in a similar fashion as Raven's, although he kept his uncrossed.

"Whatcha reading?"

"I _was_ reading _To Kill a Mockingbird_."

"Why would you want to kill a mockingbird? They're so adorable."

"That's the whole point of the book. You _shouldn't_ kill a mockingbird."

"Oh."

A brief blissful silence followed.

"Do you want to go swimming?"

"No."

"I think it would be fun to go swimming."

"You just went swimming."

"I meant with _you_."

Raven felt herself blush, despite herself. It was becoming increasingly harder to tune out the green Titan beside her, especially when his hair was damp and droplets of water clung to his bare chest and shoulders. She sighed, keeping her eyes trained on her book despite the fact she wasn't really reading anymore.

"Maybe later."

She caught him smiling; he must have been content with her answer. At this point Cyborg had begun grilling burgers, while Robin and Starfire lay side by side in the sun. Beast Boy's nose crinkled up at the smell of meat and he rose from his place on the blanket.

"I can't sit here while Cyborg cooks that trash," he told her. "Wanna come on a walk with me?"

Raven looked up at him in slight surprise. Beast Boy wanted her to accompany him on a _walk?_ It seemed a little out of character for him. As she took in his hopeful smile though, she discovered he was suggesting something that he thought she would like. Touched by the gesture, Raven nodded and he extended his hand.

As her fingers latched onto his own, she forced herself not to shiver. The pads of his digits were rough, but the way he brushed his thumb over the top of her hand was so delicate. He pulled her lightly to her feet, making sure to grab the sunscreen as they moved away from their beach site.

"Rae and I are gonna go for a walk," Beast Boy called over to the other Titans.

"Alright, sounds good," Cyborg said distractedly, too focused on flipping burgers.

Robin didn't react, but Starfire sat on her blanket and regarded them curiously. After a brief pause she shot Raven a knowing sort of look that the smaller girl tried to ignore.

"It's a short walk," she told Starfire mostly, feeling the need to justify herself.

The Tamaranean just smiled at her, and then returned to her lying position next to her boyfriend. Raven turned back around, and she and Beast Boy began their casual stroll.

It was relatively quiet at first. Raven really didn't know what to talk about; she was too focused on the fact she was still walking around in basically her underwear. Leave it to Beast Boy though to fill a silence.

"I _always_ burn my shoulders!" he complained, smothering his neck and upper back with suntan lotion. "Sometimes I think I should just call it quits and turn into a camel for the day."

"You already produce more than enough saliva as a human. I _really_ don't need to worry about camel spit next."

He grinned at her quip before twisting around and attempting to reach the small of his back. His efforts were in vain, but it was still amusing to watch. After a minute of struggling, Raven finally gave him mercy and used her powers to spread the lotion on his back like jam on a sandwich.

"Thanks," he told her, shaking his head at the cold feeling on his skin. "Hey!" he said abruptly, looking Raven over. "You're burning too!"

Raven glanced at her arms, mentally cursing. She hadn't put on any sunscreen because she had assumed she would not be leaving the comfort of her umbrella.

"It's not that bad."

"Oh yeah? Watch."

Beast Boy reached out and slid is index finger under the bikini strap on the back of her shoulder. His finger trailed along the skin all the way up to the top of her shoulder while Raven just watched him in disbelief. He raised it a few inches and then let it slap back into place. Raven barely acknowledged the small sting of her burn as the strap came down. She was currently trying her best to find a way to wipe the smug smile off Beast Boy's face.

"See? I told you," he said, lightly brushing his index finger back and forth on top of her burn.

Raven's annoyance faded and was replaced with suspicion. If she didn't know any better, his current behavior could be considered flirting…flirting in a 1950's choir boy kind of way, but flirting nonetheless.

For the sake of her sanity, Raven decided to test her theory.

"Can you put some lotion on them?" she questioned, turning a little.

From her angle she could see Beast Boy's cocky expression drop for a moment, but he recovered quickly.

"Uhhh…sure," he said, squirting some of the lotion in his hand.

Raven stiffened. She didn't actually think he would say yes, otherwise she never would have gone through with it! It was a good thing they were far enough away from the other Titans at this point, or she was sure she would have phased through the sand in embarrassment. She stared hard at a shell on the ground as Beast Boy's fingers maneuvered under her straps to spread the sunscreen. His hands were warm and a little hesitant, which she found odd. She was sure if she had asked Robin or Cyborg to do this for her, they wouldn't have made it a big deal. No matter how hard she tried though, she couldn't shake the feeling the Beast Boy was equally as embarrassed as her.

"All done," he said, stepping back from her.

Raven inspected her shoulders and decided she was satisfied with his work. Beast Boy took the awkward silence that followed as a chance to bound up the beach and throw the empty bottle away before coming back down to the water's edge. The two continued to walk, the water lapping gently at their ankles.

When they finally spoke again, Raven felt it was much easier to make conversation with him. They talked about memorable battles with their friends and about their favorite movies. Beast Boy even asked her a few more questions about the book she was reading which surprised her. Eventually they came to rest under a large boardwalk. By now the tide was starting to steadily rise, so they walked a little further up and each leaned against the boardwalk's wooden beams.

"She means well, but sometimes she completely catches me off guard," Raven shared, the conversation having moved to Starfire's impromptu girl talks.

"I think she sees that you get freaked out by them sometimes," Beast Boy told her, his upper body resting on the beam across from her. His feet began to slide into the wet sand. "Did you know sometimes she comes to _me?_ "

"Really?" That was a surprise.

Beast Boy nodded. "I think when she thinks she's bothering you, she tries to talk to Cyborg and me. All I'm saying is, maybe you could be the one to answer her questions about…certain things."

Raven had a feeling what those certain things were. She hesitated before speaking.

"Well it's not like I'm the best person to talk her about that stuff."

"Sure you are. You're a girl."

Raven gave him an annoyed look. _Thanks for noticing._

"It's not that. It's just…I feel like I can't even really answer her questions. I'm not…I'm not really experienced."

She looked down at her feet, watching some of the foam from the water stick to her legs. She gave a small sideways glance in Beast Boy's direction, expecting him to look uncomfortable, or worse, pitying.

So he surprised her when a big grin split across his face. He chuckled.

"And you think _I_ am?" he asked, his bottom fang jutting sideways. His expression let her know he was the last person who would judge her for something like that, and it was…comforting.

He cleared his throat. "I um, really like your bathing suit by the way."

Raven watched his expression, searching for any signs he was poking fun at her, but he seemed genuine.

"Uh, thanks."

His eyes widened and his face went beet red. "I didn't mean for that to sound creepy! Not that you're creepy! Well, I kinda already admitted you are, but in a good way! What I mean to say is you look…good?"

Raven watched him flounder, not bothering to step in and cut off his ramblings. She normally would have, but she wanted to see where he was going with this. The result was…well, flattering.

"Thanks Gar," she said softly, giving him a shy smile.

Beast Boy let out a massive sigh of relief; clearly glad he wasn't being sent to another dimension right now.

"We should probably head on back now," he said scratching his head.

"Why?"

Beast Boy shook his feet free of sand. "I don't know. I just figured you probably were sick of hanging out with me."

Raven wouldn't admit it, but his statement kind of hurt. Sure, she could be standoffish towards him when she was trying to mediate, but the fact that he thought she didn't enjoy his company bothered her.

"We don't have to," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

He looked at her curiously. "Oh, I thought-"

"I don't hate spending time with you," she admitted, huffing at the realization.

Dear Azar, how she wished she could take that back.

Beast Boy's grin stretched from ear to ear, and he stuck his chin out proudly. He sauntered over to her with his chest out, looking quite pleased with himself. He leaned over her, still keeping a foot of distance between them, but enough that Raven felt her back press against the beam at the proximity.

"Oh _really?_ " he pressed, his cheeks puffing.

Raven stared at him, her body motionless. She didn't trust herself to say something without her powers zapping out of her control. He was close enough that she could feel his breath on her cheek. As the wind ruffled his hair, she was able to detect the smell of pine. She repeated her mantra in her head, her heart beating so fast and loud that she placed a hand behind her to grip the beam.

Beast Boy's smile turned into a frown. He took a step back.

"Are you afraid of me, Rae?"

She stared at him in shock, praying that he wasn't talking about what she thought he was talking about.

"What?" she asked, feigning confusion.

"I can hear your heart beating from here," he explained, still looking troubled.

Great.

Raven shook her head as though to clear it. "I'm just…feeling light headed. I haven't eaten anything today," she said, lamely.

Beast Boy nodded, seeming to believe her. "Alright then, let's get you a tofu burger!"

He grabbed her arm and led her in the direction of their site. Raven rolled her eyes, but she was grateful the topic had been dropped.

Once they had returned, they found the rest of the Titans had already eaten, but Cyborg had saved Raven a burger. Beast Boy set to work on making his own food while Raven consumed some much-needed lunch. About half way through her burger, Raven felt a pair of eyes watching her, and she turned her head just in time to see Starfire quickly look away.

That alien girl was definitely on to her.

After lunch the Titans', sans Raven, began a rousing game of volleyball. Raven sat under the shade of her umbrella, watching them play. After she grew tired of that, she picked up her book again. She was able to get through four whole chapters before she heard the telltale sounds of Beast Boy in his dog form padding up to her. She did her best to ignore him, but he rolled over on his back, practically begging for scratches. She almost gave in too, but she caught herself.

"Can I help you?" she inquired, not looking up from her book.

Beast Boy morphed back into his human form. He tucked his arms behind his head, so Raven was able to get a view of his green armpit tufts. Lovely.

"Wanna play next round?" he asked casually, pretending to examine his fingernails.

"Not particularly."

Beast Boy sighed, sitting up. "Come on, Rae. One game isn't gonna kill you."

Raven put down her book. "If I refereed would that stop your complaining?"

His face lit up. "Yeah!"

Raven tried not to roll her eyes as he basically dragged her to the volleyball net. The other Titans were already on the court, ready to begin the next round. As they approached, Robin raised his eyebrows, lifting his mask in the process.

"You playing, Raven?" he asked skeptically.

The pale girl shook her head. "Refereeing," she clarified.

She stood where the net was, making sure she had an open view of both sides of the court. Beast Boy and Starfire played on one team to her left; Robin and Cyborg were on her right. All four Titans watched her as if they were waiting for something.

Raven cleared her throat unsurely. "Um…play ball?"

And with that, the game began. Starfire served first, the ball sailing powerfully over the next. Cyborg returned it and then it bobbed back and forth before finally landing on the line on Starfire and Beast Boy's side.

"Ref?" Cyborg called.

Raven raised her right arm, signaling that it was Robin and Cyborg's ball. She caught Beast Boy huffing but paid it little attention. He always was a sore loser. The game started up again in little to no time, the points racking up quickly. At one point Robin hit the ball over to Starfire who went for a forearm pass when she should have gone for a set. The ball started to come down to the out of bounds area near Raven, but Beast Boy wildly followed it in an attempt to save their point. Unfortunately, he wasn't looking where he was going, so he plowed directly into Raven, knocking them both off their feet and into the massive sandcastle that had been built earlier.

When the dust-or sand in this case-settled, Beast Boy lay sprawled on top of Raven. Both teens were covered head to toe in sand, and Raven felt as though some of it had drifted into her lungs.

"Woah, are you okay?" Beast Boy asked, shaking his head. In doing so their noses brushed, and he jerked his head back. He tried to prop himself up so he could get off of Raven, but the piles of soft sand around them made it difficult. Still blinking the sand from his eyes, he reached blindly in front of him, trying to get a hold of something that he could grab onto.

That's when his bare hand found Raven's left breast.

Needless to say the other Titans were a little confused when Beast Boy's body went flying into the ocean.

~0~0~0~

The Titans came home tired, sweaty, and in Raven's case, sandy. The boys hit the showers almost immediately, leaving Starfire and Raven alone in ops. Raven levitated the items they had packed back to their proper locations. She made sure her feet stayed off the ground, so she didn't leave a trail of sand in her wake. Just as she was about to get ready for the shower herself, Starfire placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Raven, I must speak with you on a matter that is most urgent."

The empath's eyes became slightly worried. "What is it Star?"

The Tamaranean's face broke into a smile. "I have dropped the eaves on a conversation between Beast Boy and Cyborg whilst we were at the beach."

Raven cocked an eyebrow. "You…eavesdropped?"

Starfire blushed. "I admit I should not have, but I could not resist when I realized you were the topic of discussion!"

Raven's face dropped. She honestly didn't know what to expect.

"It was Beast Boy who did the bringing of you up," Starfire continued, clasping her hands together. "He was most-"

"I don't need to hear what they said about me," Raven interrupted. "What boys say behind close doors doesn't interest me."

"But there were no doors to be closed, Friend Raven," Starfire said, confused at the Earthen expression. "I just thought you might be attentive to what Beast Boy had to say about you."

"Why would I care what Beast Boy had to say about me?" Raven questioned, feigning annoyance. Starfire was close to finding out her secret; she had to find a way to throw the redhead off her track.

Starfire looked confused and a little embarrassed. "I just thought…or perhaps I assumed…"

 _Please drop it; please drop it,_ Raven mentally begged.

Starfire straightened her shoulders after a moment. "I apologize, Friend. It was wrong for me to assume something I had no business in assuming. Please forgive me."

Raven nodded, glancing at the door. "It's fine, Starfire."

The alien perked up a little. "If you will excuse me, I must go cleanse my body of the sand of the beach."

When she was finally alone to herself, Raven let her shoulder slump. She needed to keep her emotions and reactions on the down low until this foolish, little crush of hers faded. Starfire must have been more perceptive to Raven's inner turmoil than she normally would have been, what with the low crime rate the past couple of days. She was sure once they were out in the field of battle again that her attraction would be more easily concealed until it eventually became nothing more than a memory.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _Just a reminder to please review to let me know how I'm doing. I always accept critiques (as long as they are written tastefully of course). Next two chapters there will be a character that was not featured in the show, but was in the show's comics! Who could it be? Send me your guesses in the reviews. (Hint: this person DID make an appearance in the Teen Titans Go show.)_


	5. Ravager pt 1

**Author's Note:** _This chapter borrows events from the Teen Titans Go comics, which I do not own or claim to own. As always, please take the time to read and review! The second part will be out shortly._

~0~0~0~

A message had been left for them.

The Titans had arrived to the scene of the battle as usual; except there was no battle and little else to even show someone had been there in the first place. It was Starfire that had stumbled upon the body part first. She had let out a shriek and nearly incinerated the evidence in her surprise. Upon closer inspection, Cyborg had deduced that the lower arm didn't belong to a human, but rather a robot.

A Slade bot to be exact.

Robin had insisted they scour the area for any more clues. The other Titans kept their guard up around him as they always did when Slade was involved. Unlike past missions, however, Robin seemed to be keeping a clear head.

Until a foot was found near one of the dock's warehouses.

"He's playing with us," Robin said, frustrated.

"But why now?" Cyborg asked. "The dude's been quiet for almost a year now. He didn't make one appearance, not even when we fought the Brotherhood of Evil."

"There has been no sign of him until now," Starfire agreed.

Raven noticed Beast Boy looking guilty. He caught her gaze and became panicked. She grabbed his ear before he could scoot away from her, letting him know that he wasn't getting away with this one. The other Titans glanced at them curiously. Beast Boy yanked away from Raven's grasp and sighed, rubbing his arm awkwardly.

"I…sort of fought a Slade bot at the carnival Terra and I went to," he admitted.

"And you didn't think to mention this until now?" Robin spat.

Beast Boy's ears went down and Starfire immediately gripped Robin's shoulder in warning. At her touch the Titan leader immediately calmed and his expression even turned regretful.

"Sorry Beast Boy. That was uncalled for."

"S'okay," he responded, uncomfortably.

"Look, we aren't going to solve anything by standing here arguing. Why don't we start with retracing our steps," Raven suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Cyborg agreed.

Robin scratched his head; still seemingly uncomfortable with the way he lashed out. "Alright then Titans. Let's move out."

Along the way they found another piece of a Slade bot. Beast Boy did the best he could to navigate through the wreckage of the collapsed rollercoaster, but no matter where they looked, the Slade bot he had fought was nowhere to be found.

"But why would Slade leave us a trail?" Starfire inquired, asking the question that was on all of their minds.

"Who said it was Slade?" a voice said from above them.

All five Titans whipped around to stare at the figure that had snuck up without them noticing. She stood on top of an abandoned carnival game stand, so she had about ten feet of height on them. She was dressed in a uniform similar to Slade's, except her mask cut off halfway down her face revealing a long mane of white hair. The back of her mask gave way to two long russet ribbons that fell down her back. She brandished two katanas, one in each hand. The most unusual part about this woman was she looked to be about their age.

"Who are you?" Robin demanded, pulling out a bird-a-rang. The other Titans followed suit, taking on battle stances.

The girl merely snorted and sheathed her swords. "He warned me about your nobility," she mocked before flipping downwards and landing in the center of their circle, ready to engage them.

Starfire flew at her first, but the villainess used the girl's momentum to swing her around, effectively knocking her into Beast Boy. Cyborg threw a punch at her but he landed low. She ran up his arm and used his head to kick off her backflip. She ducked dramatically as a bird-a-rang nearly sliced her. She moved with Robin as he engaged her, anticipating his moves in a seamless manner. She eventually managed to land a hard punch to his jaw, incapacitating him.

Raven took to the air, sensing she would be no match for this girl on the ground. It was odd, the way she fought. Other than the occasional backflip she would throw in for finesse, the girl had a very cold, calculated method to her fighting style. It reminded her eerily of Slade.

The empath lifted a nearby metal beam with her powers, attempting to overpower the girl. It was clearly the wrong move, for the villainess was quick footed enough that she ran up the beam, unsheathing her swords and performing a flying spin. Raven cried out as she felt the blades kiss the skin of her hands, and she fell backwards, her cloak in shreds.

The villainess swept her gaze around the fallen Titans before her. She snorted again.

"And he said not to underestimate you." She shook her head pityingly and turned around, writing something in the dirt with her sword before disappearing.

Several moments later the Titans began to come to. Raven clutched her hands, the blood starting to trail down her wrists. There was a burning unlike anything she had ever experienced. This wasn't a normal wound.

"What's happening?" she said through gritted teeth.

The other Titans seemed to realize something was terribly wrong, but surprisingly Beast Boy seemed to have the answer first. He ran to Raven's side, morphing into a lion and licking her hands. Raven was in such a state of searing pain that she couldn't even find the strength to turn away in disgust. A moment later, Beast Boy returned to his normal form again, looking a little greener than usual.

Raven's shoulders slumped as the pain began to recede. She looked over her hands and noticed they hadn't looked as red and angry as before. She turned to Beast Boy in confusion.

"What did you do?"

Beast Boy seemed a little woozy. "I could smell the poison from over there. I was just cleaning it." He shrugged as if it was nothing, although by the look of his sickened state it clearly took a lot out of him.

"She must have lined those swords with some sort of venom," Robin concluded seriously.

"Will Friend Raven be okay?" Starfire asked, clutching her hands in concern.

Raven nodded in disbelief. She gazed at Beast Boy, still not quite being able to process the fact that he hand ingested poison for her.

"Thank you, Gar," she said sincerely.

Beast Boy nodded, a small smile on his face.

Then he promptly threw up on her.

~0~0~0~

After Raven had changed into clothes that weren't torn-or had vomit on them-she joined the other Titans in the infirmary where Beast Boy needed to be treated for ingesting the poison. The changeling sat on a hospital bed, appearing to be almost completely normal. He blushed when he saw Raven, clearly afraid for tarnishing her clothes. Raven didn't react, but she turned to Cyborg who was busy using the infirmary's information control systems.

"How is he?"

"I gave him an antidote, so he should be fine. The amount of poison he had in his system was minimal anyway," Cyborg answered, not looking up from what he was doing.

"Who was she?" Raven asked, turning to Robin this time. The Titan leader, however, seemed to be just as much in the dark as the rest of them was.

"Perhaps Slade has taken another apprentice?" Starfire suggested.

"It seems to be the most logical answer," Robin agreed, his fingers gripping his chin.

Cyborg turned to face them then. "While you guys were taking BB back to the Tower, I scanned the area for any evidence. She wrote this in the sand." He hit a button and a picture of the word blinked onto the screen.

"Ravager?" Beast Boy questioned, confused.

Cyborg nodded. "That's not all. When Robin threw his bird-a-rang at her it missed, but it managed to get this." He held up a strand of white hair. The other Titans watched it curiously. Cyborg placed it on a scanner and the system processed it for a few moments before displaying one name.

Rose.

"I don't get it," Robin said, walking up to inspect the screen. "No picture? No last name? I thought this thing was supposed to match DNA."

"It does, but it can't exactly match all those things if there aren't any records of them in the first place. Whoever this Ravager is, she must have a very private life," Cyborg mused.

"Can't say I blame her, if she's associated with Slade," Raven commented, unconsciously rubbing the tips of her fingers over her injured palms.

After Cyborg had placed the strand of hair in a clear bag, Robin took it from him. "I'm going to run my own tests," he told the cybernetic teen and then left the room.

Cyborg shook his head but didn't say anything more on the subject. Instead, he went over the Beast Boy and placed his hand on the younger boy's shoulder.

"You should be fine to sleep in your room tonight, BB. Let me know if you start feeling sick again."

Beast Boy nodded, smiling. "Thanks Cy."

Cyborg left the room for the night and Starfire followed soon after. Raven was exhausted from the events of the day, but she lingered in the infirmary. At this point Beast Boy had swung his legs over the side hospital bed, making sure to put the metal sidebars down as he sat up straight.

Raven walked over to him slowly, so she stood directly in front of him. Beast Boy glanced at her nervously, obviously still not sure if she would be furious with him for his unplanned expulsions.

He laughed anxiously. "Um…I see you got a new outfit."

Raven rolled her eyes. "As much as I would love to send you to another dimension for how disgusting you are, I have to say I'm grateful for what you did back there."

"Don't mention it, Rae."

Raven swallowed. "I don't really get why you did it to be honest. It wasn't a life threatening injury. I could have healed it on my own."

Beast Boy cocked his head to the side. "You were in pain. I just didn't want to see you like that."

Warmth blossomed in Raven's chest. She glanced down at her hands, a little self-consciously. She looked up as Beast Boy took her hands in his. He tugged her a little closer, so her stomach and pelvic bone brushed his legs. He placed his gloved palms under the back of her hands so he could examine them. The slices had reduced to just thin lines that stretched the length of her palm. Sometimes it came in handy to have healing powers.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked softly, brushing his thumb over the wound.

She swallowed again, finding it hard to speak. "No. I healed most of it."

Beast Boy nodded absently, still tracing the angry red lines. Her fingers remained rigid at first, but little by little they began to curl around his. He leaned forward slightly; his eyes trained on their joined hands. Their foreheads nearly touched.

"Gar-"

The infirmary door burst open and the two Titans instantly separated. Cyborg had entered again but seemed surprised that he wasn't the only one in the room.

"I forgot to shut down the systems for the night," he explained, looking at them strangely. "What are-"

"I was just leaving," Raven muttered, not even bothering to gauge Beast Boy's reaction. Without another word she exited the infirmary so she could breathe again.

~0~0~0~

Ravager made another appearance the following day. And the day after that. And the day after that.

It was always the same. She would leave them a trail of something; usually stolen jewelry or more Slade bot body parts. She would engage them for no more than a couple of minutes and then vanish from sight before they could detain her. The encounters left the Titans tired and frustrated. Every time they saw her they grew no closer to finding out who she really was, or how she was connected to Slade.

That was another thing. Not once during any of their battles with Ravager did he make an appearance. The villainess hadn't even mentioned him, other than the first time they had met her. Determined to see what he could be planning, the Titans were now investigating all of his old hideouts for any signs of a lead. Robin and Starfire were investigating the clock tower, Cyborg was scoping out the warehouses by the docks, and Beast Boy and Raven were left to navigate the channels of the sewer.

"Why is it always the sewer," Raven droned, making sure to fly well above the sludge on the ground.

"At least _you_ don't have to walk in it," Beast Boy pointed out, holding an open communicator in his hand. "Robin, we aren't finding anything down here."

"Nothing unusual by the docks either," Cyborg rang in.

"Well keep looking. There has to be something we're missing," Robin told them.

"There is something I do not understand. Why does Ravager choose to commit such petty crimes?" Starfire pondered, floating between the working clock gears as she spoke into her communicator. "Such wrongdoings seem to be beneath Slade."

"Yeah, somehow robbing jewelry stores doesn't seem to be Slade's style," Cyborg agreed.

"He must be using her as some sort of distraction," Robin mused.

"Aw, you find me distracting, do you?"

Robin's head snapped up to find Ravager standing far above him, hanging from one of the metal gears. She threw a smoke bomb at Robin, but Starfire intercepted it and destroyed the threat with her starbolts. The two females engaged in combat while Robin spoke to the others.

"We've found Ravager. Cyborg meet us here on the double."

"On my way."

"What about us?" Beast Boy asked.

"Stay where you are and keep looking. We've got it for now."

The line went dead.

"Oh come _on_ ," Beast Boy complained, kicking at the sewer water.

"No use whining. Let's just keep looking," Raven replied, although she was just as unhappy as him about their orders.

The changeling gave her the stink eye but didn't snap back at her. The two continued following different sewage paths, Beast Boy occasionally switching into various animals so he didn't have to walk the whole way. They eventually came upon a stone ledge that acted as a sort of sidewalk. The two rested there, eager to be away from the rushing waste filled water. Beast Boy leaned against a wall and let out an annoyed sigh.

"I don't even get what we're looking for."

"Any signs of Slade, I guess."

"Yeah, but come on. Do you think he's honestly gonna be in the _sewer_?"

Raven shrugged. "You never know, although it seems unlikely."

Beast Boy cocked his head to the side. "Why don't you try to sense him with your weird raven thing?"

"Using my corporeal raven takes a great deal of effort and control. I only summon it in dire circumstances. The last time I used it was to track Robin when I knew his life was in danger."

"This corporal thing, can you find anyone with it?"

" _Corporeal._ And not always. Sometimes the people I try to find have an intense control over their emotions and auras. They can block out any intruders who try to enter their subconscious. I've only met a few people who can master this."

"Like…?"

"Slade for one. That's the other reason I can't sense him. I have trouble with Red X sometimes too, actually. And Phobia. She is nearly impossible to track."

Beast Boy chuckled. "Yeah, but who would want to find her? She's a nightmare. Literally."

Raven was about to reply with a snarky remark, but a powerful pressure pushed into her skull. She let out a yell, griping her head, willing it to stop. Beast Boy looked at her in alarm, but she could barely even register he was there. She knew this feeling; someone was trying to enter her mind. She attempted to seal them off. When she thought she was successful, the feeling came back tenfold. Whoever this person was, they were desperate, and it suddenly occurred to Raven that maybe they needed help. Deciding to take a risk she opened her mind to the person seeking her out.

She saw quick flashes. There was a peaceful mountainside, a guitar, a goat, and a snatch of blond hair.

And then Slade.

Raven screamed again as she was jerked out of the vision, feeling herself fall but never hitting the ground. She opened her eyes after a moment, seeing Beast Boy's worried face in front of her. She looked around in confusion. He had his arms circled around her, and they were still in the sewer. He must have caught her.

"Raven, what's going on?" he asked, in a small voice.

She swallowed, fighting to keep her vision from going blurry.

"Jericho's in trouble," she told him.

Beast Boy didn't even bother to question or doubt her. "We should call Robin." He flipped open his communicator and, surprisingly, was able to get in touch with the Titans' leader. The image on his end seemed to be bobbing up and down, indicating he was running.

"Beast Boy, report," Robin panted.

"Raven had a vision of Slade and Jericho. She thinks Jericho's trying to call for help."

Robin paused in his running, yelling after Cyborg and Starfire to continue their chase, most likely after Ravager. He wiped his upper lip and glanced down at the communicator in confusion.

"Can you put Raven on?"

Beast Boy turned to Raven, silently asking her if she had recuperated enough to explain the situation. Raven wordlessly took the communicator.

"Robin, it's Raven."

"Raven! What's going on?"

"I think Jericho sent me a distress signal with his powers."

"And Slade's there?"

"It seems so. It looked like they were in Tibet."

Robin paused, looking very unsure for a moment. "Are you and Beast Boy fit to transport to Tibet?"

Beast Boy looked up in surprise. Raven kept her face neutral.

"You aren't coming?"

Robin shook his head. "When we engaged Ravager, she made some hints that she was going to bomb Jump City Hall. Cyborg and Starfire are hot on her trail. I would join you, but I need to check to make sure City Hall is safe. You'll have to take care of this one. Are you up to it?"

Raven nodded, feeling a little uncertain at the vagueness of their mission.

Robin returned her nod before curtly replying, "Good. Robin, out."

Raven closed the communicator and handed it back to Beast Boy. The changeling looked at her curiously.

"Are you sure you can teleport us all the way to Tibet right now?" he asked, concern prevalent in his eyes.

"I'll be able to do it, but I'm not sure how much use I'll be afterwards. Receiving that vision took a lot out of me," she admitted.

Beast Boy nodded, then grinned. "Don't worry. I got your back, Rae."

He took her hand and almost immediately the empath closed her eyes in concentration. Teleporting took an immense amount of effort; otherwise she would do it every day. She took a deep breath, hoping she had the strength to do this, and transported them into the mountains of Asia.

Raven fell to her knees the moment they arrived. Beast Boy ran to her side, but she waved him off, slowly rising to her feat.

"I'll be fine," she told him, taking the chance to look at their surroundings. It was exactly like her vision, except there were no signs of Slade or Jericho. She and Beast Boy began to scout the area on foot, the latter morphing into a bloodhound to attempt to pick up a scent. After about a half hour when the sun had almost completely set, Beast Boy shifted back into his normal form.

"I can't pick up either one of them. Are you sure this is the place you saw them?" he asked her.

"Positive."

Beast Boy scratched his head. "What I don't get is why would Slade go after Jericho? It seems so random."

Raven nodded. She had been wondering the same thing. "It does seem strange. Whatever the reason, it seems like he, Slade, and this Ravager girl are connected in some way."

"Well whatever Slade is up to, we'll stop him," Beast Boy said with determination.

"Are you so sure about that?" a velvety voice said from the darkness.

The two Titans whipped around, poised to attack. They couldn't be sure where it was coming from, so they pressed their backs to each other. Raven clenched his fists ready to summon her powers if necessary, although she wasn't sure if she had the strength to control them properly.

"Show yourself, Slade," she demanded, feeling the muscles of Beast Boy's back tightening against her own.

"I'm going to ask you two a question," the voice continued as if Raven hadn't spoken, "and I want you to answer truthfully. If you do, I may just spare one of you. Now, where is the boy?"

 _He doesn't know where Jericho is either,_ Raven realized. Slade had made a mistake in assuming they were already keeping him safe. The best they could do was to go along with it.

Beast Boy also seemed to realize this for he responded, "We'll never tell you Slade!"

"So be it."

Raven heard Beast Boy give a sharp yell of surprise, followed by the sensation of someone pulling her down by her hood. She landed with a grunt on her back, her hood fully coming down her shoulders. Slade stood over her menacingly, his expression hidden by his trademark mask.

"Hello again, birthday girl."

Raven raised a fist from the ground, summoning her energy. She didn't need to attack, however, for at that moment Beast Boy leapt at Slade in the form of a tiger. Slade easily jumped to the side, causing the changeling to turn back around. Raven got to her feet trying to think of the best way she could help. On one hand, she could charge into battle alongside Beast Boy. On the other, she wasn't sure how well her powers would work without rest.

It turns out she didn't have to make a decision, for someone made it for her. At that moment someone reached out to her with another vision, showing her a specific cave on a mountainside.

She knew where Jericho was.

Looking over as Beast Boy tried to hold his own against Slade, Raven realized they needed to lose the villain if they were going to find Jericho safely. Using the last of her sapping energy, she phased into the ground and rose again to encompass Beast Boy in her cloak. They disappeared before Slade could prepare another attack.

They appeared again in a small clearing surrounded by mountains. Raven turned to Beast Boy, ready to tell him what she saw, but with horror she realized her vision was becoming blurry. She slumped to the ground a moment later and everything became black.

~0~0~0~

When Raven woke she felt long, green fur between her pale fingers. She was vaguely aware she was moving, given the fact her body bobbed up in down with each step. She lifted her hooded head and attempted to make sense of what was going on around her.

Beast Boy was in his bear form and appeared to be carrying her on his back. They moved slowly in the direction of the mountain Raven had seen in her vision. He must have picked up Jericho's scent when she had transported them here.

He seemed to realize from her shifting that she had woken, for he returned to his human form, leaving Raven to straddle his human back. She clambered off him, her cheeks red before she composed herself. Beast Boy flipped around and rose, relief dawning on his face.

"You really gave me a scare back there, Rae," he said, approaching her. "Are you okay?"

"I will be. I just need to rest." She lifted her hood off her face.

Beast Boy pointed at the mountain they were approaching. "His scent's coming from over there. We should be able to make it before moonrise."

"He's in a small cave hidden between the rocks."

He nodded. "Thought so. The scent's not that strong. I can barely smell it as a bear." He looked at her in concern. "Do you think you could levitate up there?"

Raven paused and then nodded. Beast Boy smiled at her, and then shifted into a hawk. The two arrived at the cave several minutes later, Raven immediately landing on her feet at their arrival. Beast Boy shifted into a bloodhound once more. Almost instantly he turned to Raven and barked, indicating he had found the scent again.

The two trekked down the cave until they heard faint guitar music. The strumming paused, as Jericho must have heard their approaching footsteps. The two Titans turned a corner a moment later and there he was, perched on a boulder as if everything was okay. He looked up at their arrival, his face breaking out in a pleased expression. Beast Boy immediately pulled out his communicator.

"Robin, we found Jericho, over."

Robin's response was immediate. "Beast Boy, good. How is Raven?"

Beast Boy glanced over to her. "She's hanging in there. Did you guys catch Ravager?"

Robin scratched his head. "Yeah…we may have misjudged her."

Starfire came into view. "Yes, she is _most_ misunderstood! She has agreed to help us in our endeavors!"

Cy pocked his head in. "She seems like a pretty cool lil' lady."

Beast Boy and Raven eyed each other in shock.

"Come again?" Raven asked.

Robin shook his head. "It's hard to explain. We'll tell you when you get back. Speaking of which, why aren't you back yet?"

Raven sighed. "My powers have been shot. I can't teleport until the morning."

"Is the little witch alright?" a gravelly female voice asked off screen.

Raven frowned. Three guesses as to whom that was.

Robin ignored Ravager as he continued. "Look, like I said we'll explain everything when you get back. The point is you need to stay hidden until the morning. Rose is helping us break into some of Slade's hideouts that we didn't even know about. She said if you have any questions, Jericho can answer them for you."

"You on a first name basis now?" Raven remarked dryly, annoyed they were being kept in the dark.

Robin smirked. "Stay hidden. We'll see you tomorrow." Then the screen went blank.

Beast Boy and Raven blinked at each other before looking to Jericho. The blonde smiled at them in a peaceful way, and Raven couldn't help but feel calmed by his presence. She could feel anxiety rolling of him, but also relief and hope. She sat down across from him on the cave floor, Beast Boy mirroring her position.

"Care to explain?" Raven asked Jericho, offering him one of her rare, small smiles.

"Uh…how?" Beast Boy murmured to her, referring to his disability.

Raven elbowed him harshly, and with Jericho's small nod of reassurance she entered the boy's mind.

Because Jericho had so freely shown her his memories, the effort of sorting through them took little effort. Once her mind had returned to the cave, she explained to Beast Boy everything she had seen. Many things had surprised her, and in turn, surprised the green Titan next to her.

Jericho was Slade's youngest son. Ravager, or Rose, was his half sister. Jericho had been captured as a young child and his vocal chords had been permanently damaged. His family was a mess. The line between good and evil became so unclear depending on the member in question. Ravager had recently tracked Slade down and joined him because she had nowhere else to go. Slade had traveled to Tibet while Ravager was to be a distraction for the Titans. She had been uncertain about her role in Slade's plan to recruit Jericho and manipulate him and his powers for his own personal gain.

It was during this point in time Raven realized the vision in the sewer had come from Ravager, not Jericho. She must have been speaking to Slade moments before she had engaged the other Titans in the clock factory. The Jump City Hall bombing had been a farce, just a way to get their attention. Sometime between all of the other times she had fought them previously, Ravager had decided she didn't feel confident joining her father anymore. She had reached out to Jericho hoping to make amends, and Jericho, sensing the compassion deep within his sister's heart, had allowed her to help him escape their father.

When she finished, Beast Boy stared at her with his jaw open. Jericho looked at her kindly, blinking his thanks to her for explaining.

"So…I didn't see that one coming," Beast Boy finally said, still awestruck.

Raven nodded. "It is surprising."

"When you were in his memories…did you see him with his mask off?"

Raven turned to Jericho who nodded encouragingly at her. "Sort of. Jericho only remembers seeing his father's face when he was little, so the image is blurry. I couldn't really tell who he was."

Beast Boy nodded, not really expecting much, it seemed. He suddenly let out an obnoxious yawn and sprawled on his back. "Well if we're stuck here until morning, might as well catch some z's." He closed his eyes.

Jericho came down from the rock he sat on and gently laid his guitar against it. He nodded to Raven and then retreated further into the cave for the night. He was out of sight, but Raven didn't follow him. She understood he was a private person like her, and didn't want to intrude. She lay against the cave floor, attempting to drift to sleep.


	6. Ravager pt 2

No matter how hard she tried, Raven couldn't find sleep. She sat up into her familiar lotus position, figuring she could at least meditate to recharge her powers. She tried to ignore the cave's hard surface against her bottom and back. Normally she would have just levitated, but she wanted to save every scrap of energy she had.

Several minutes into her meditation, she felt a soft head rub against her bare leg. She opened her eyes to see Beast Boy in his cat form, pressing up against her and purring. She wanted to roll her eyes, but even she could admit it was _slightly_ endearing. That was, until he promptly hopped into her lap.

Raven's face twisted in outrage, and she pushed him off onto the cave floor. Beast Boy transformed back into his human form, rubbing his side in irritation.

"What was that for?" he snapped, but kept his voice at a low volume in case Jericho could hear them from the back of the cave.

"What do you _think_ that was for?" she clipped back.

Beast Boy crinkled his nose. "Starfire lets me do it," he muttered, still bitter at her rejection.

"Just make sure Robin doesn't catch you," she responded dryly. "What's the matter with you? Being in a cave makes you want to snuggle?"

She felt a little smug when she saw his cheeks go pink. "You just scared me a lot today with the fainting, and the head aches and…I'm just glad you're okay."

Damn him for being considerate. She still had some arguing to do.

"Well…okay then."

So much for arguing. She really was losing her game.

"Sorry for pushing it," he amended, shifting uncomfortably. "I know you feel weird around me sometimes."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "What are you talking about?"

Beast Boy stared at her unsurely. "I don't know. Sometimes I think you absolutely can't stand me, and then other times I think…forget it."

"Fine. You're the one that brought it up anyway," she said rudely, her annoyance getting the better of her. She felt her heart beating faster at his statement though. Could he really know that…?

He regarded her strangely. Half of his face was bathed in the silver of the moonlight that poured in through the cracks in the cave, despite how deep they were inside it. He crawled his way over until he was directly in front of her. She watched him, curious as to what he was up to.

He locked eyes with her. Confusion was still prevalent on his face, but Raven could feel a little sadness radiating from him.

"Sometimes I feel like I don't get you, Rae," he said softly.

She kept her eyes on his, mesmerized. "That's because we're completely different."

He gave her a half smile, and then it faded as he became more serious. "I really was worried about you today." He boldly brought his hand up to tuck a strand of violet hair from behind her ear.

Raven felt like she could barely breathe. She was completely motionless as he brought a gloved hand up to cup her cheek. The edge of his thumb brushed her bottom lip, and she felt a strange flipping sensation low in her stomach.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and for just a moment, she gave in. She imagined him replacing his thumb with his lips, imagined them moving in time with hers. She wondered if he would open his mouth and explore her with his tongue. Would his hands move up her sides, sending shivers down her entire body? She imagined him touching her in a way no one else had. His touch would be gentle and nervous, but he would be filled with that silly enthusiasm he always had.

Was it so far fetched that he might want to do those things too?

Raven was practically on the verge of asking when he spoke again.

"I can hear your heart again," he said, smiling in amusement.

The warmth in her stomach faded and was replaced by a sick feeling. He was amused. This was amusing to him. Here she was worked up and thinking about him in this way, and he sat with a smile on his face like he was ready to laugh at her for it.

She didn't care if she was reading into things. She wasn't going to put herself on the line again, and this crush had gone on for long enough.

"We should get some rest," she said, pushing away from him and lying on the cave floor.

She wasn't sure if she caught disappointment or annoyance on his face, but at that moment she didn't really care. All she wanted to do was phase into the cave floor, and hope her heart would never beat so loudly again.

~0~0~0~

Raven was awoken by the sounds of a struggle. She bolted upright and looked around wildly. Beast Boy seemed to have woken up the same time as her, for he appeared to be just as confused and panicked. They snapped their heads in the direction of the cave's entrance just in time to see the flash of purple from Jericho's costume.

 _We should have kept watch. We're such fools,_ Raven thought angrily, although feeling sorry for herself wasn't going to help anyone now.

The two Titans raced out of the cave to find Slade jumping effortlessly down the mountainside. He had Jericho slung over his shoulder with a bag over the boy's head. The young hero appeared to have been knocked unconscious, for he didn't struggle.

"Come on," Raven barked at Beast Boy, her anxiety taking over.

She levitated after Slade, thankful her powers had returned in full force. Beast Boy followed her lead as a mountain goat. He clambered down the mountain with ease, catching up to Slade rather quickly. He leapt at the villain, attempting to knock him off the ledge he was balanced on, but Slade flipped over the changeling. Beast Boy ended up rear-ending a rock, and he returned to his human form. The disoriented look on his face gave Raven the impression he was probably seeing stars.

 _"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"_ Raven cried, levitating large rocks and heaving them at Slade, paying special attention not to hit Jericho in the process. Once again Slade avoided her attack, and with a flying leap, he landed on level ground.

 _We're going to lose them,_ she thought, panic taking hold of her.

Raven grabbed Beast Boy by the arm and lifted him upwards just as he was starting to gather himself. She dropped him where the ground became flat, and the two continued the chase. Slade paused, sensing he couldn't outrun the Titans, so he would have to subdue them. Raven landed on the ground, prepared to fight. Slade dropped Jericho roughly on the ground, but the boy didn't so much as flinch. It was then Raven wondered about the severity of his injuries.

She didn't have time to think about him much longer, however, for Slade began to charge her. She created shields of black energy with her hands, using them to deflect his punches. He swept under her legs, knocking her to the ground. Slade jumped back as Beast Boy charged him in the form as a rhino. Instead of merely dodging his attack, Slade used the changeling's momentum to swing him in the wrong direction, and the Titan once again plowed the mountainside.

Raven winced. She wasn't sure how many more head injuries Beast Boy could take.

Without much hesitation, she summoned her powers and trapped Slade's legs together. She lifted him from the ground and slammed him back down, effectively knocking the wind out of him.

Now was her chance. She levitated over him and landed by Jericho's side. Almost at once Slade was on them again, but he was thrown off guard as Beast Boy pounced on him in his panther form. Slade wrestled with him, surprisingly matching the changeling in his altered state.

Raven watched helplessly. She needed to make a decision now. She could either leave Beast Boy and save Jericho, or she could teleport them all back to Jump.

Well they always said there was safety in numbers.

Summoning her corporeal form, Raven's powers swept over them all. One moment they were in Tibet, the next they were in a Jump City construction site. The teleportation kicked up a heavy cloud of dust, momentarily obscuring Raven's view of anything. She felt Jericho's unconscious form beside her, and she quickly produced a force field to shield him from debris. As it cleared she removed the bag from his head and sharply looked up, prepared to defend him at all costs. When the last of the dust settled, she realized there was no need, for Slade had vanished.

And so had Beast Boy.

When the rest of the Titans-plus Ravager-had arrived, Raven had finished healing Jericho, and the boy had come to. Ravager held a hand open to him and helped him to his feet. After a moment's hesitation she also offered Raven a hand. The half demon chose to rise on her own, however, still not feeling entirely comfortable with the girl.

"What happened?" Robin demanded, after it became clear Beast Boy was nowhere to be found.

"It was Slade. He took him," Raven rasped, finding it hard to control her voice.

"Or another one of his bots took him," Cyborg said, finding a dismantled metal hand. "Looks like BB didn't go down without a fight."

Raven rounded on Ravager. "If you're suddenly playing the hero now, than how come it slipped your mind that Slade wasn't really in Tibet?"

Ravager put her hands up in surrender. "Easy there, witch girl. You think Slade trusts anyone enough to let them know what he's really planning? He told me he was going to Tibet to find Jericho. That's all I know."

Raven settled a little once she was satisfied the girl wasn't lying.

"Rose has been most helpful to us," Starfire added. "While the disappearance of Beast Boy is most troubling, there are many places she has told us where he could be."

"We should hurry though," Ravager continued. "By now Slade's probably figured out I've defected, and he'll want to move his base."

"Raven, you should take Jericho back to the Tower. If Slade's after him, we need to make sure he's safe," Robin ordered.

Raven rarely defied the Titan leader's orders, but she had to this time. "No. I'm going with you. Beast Boy needs me." She was thoroughly exhausted from teleporting and also using her healing, but this was important.

Robin seemed caught off guard that she had flat out refused him. Cyborg recovered for him, however, seeming to understand where Raven was coming from.

"I'll go back with him. I can run some tests and make sure his injuries aren't serious. Long as you're okay with that," he said, turning to Jericho.

The blonde nodded and Robin took the chance to regain control of the situation.

"Alright Titans, let's move out."

~0~0~0~

Raven became more nauseous the longer they searched. It felt like they weren't getting any closer to finding Beast Boy, and she couldn't help but feel partly responsible. She had made a judgment call back in the mountains, and maybe if she had thought things through she could have teleported the three of them back alone.

Ravager had apparently explained everything she knew to the other Titans while she and Beast Boy were away, so they knew everything Raven knew. They had been reluctant to believe the girl at first, but after she had started revealing sensitive information about Slade and his hideouts, they formed a tentative trust with her.

Despite giving Ravager a hard time previously, Raven could honestly empathize with the girl. After all, she too knew what it was like to be raised by a monster, only to come to terms with the fact that that didn't automatically make her one too.

As the Titans compared the evidence they found from each hideout they encountered, Raven remained silent. She assumed Slade was holding Beast Boy as some kind of bait, but that didn't mean he had to guarantee the boy's well being. After they scoured the fourth location, she finally spoke up.

"It feels like we're wasting time."

"I agree," Robin replied, also growing frustrated with their lack of progress. He turned to Ravager. "Are you sure there isn't a place he would go to as his failsafe?"

Ravager shook her head. "I've shown you all the places he's shown me. Unless there's a hideout he didn't bother telling me about, I can't really help you anymore."

Robin paused, taking this information in. "Maybe the answer is so obvious that we're overlooking it."

"We have searched all of the lairs Slade would frequent in present day, yes?" Starfire asked. "Perhaps we need to consider the old as well as the new?"

Raven's head snapped up. "I think I have an idea. It's a long shot, but it might work."

She took them to the old abandoned chemical plant where they had first fought Plasmus all those years ago. Back then Slade had simply relied on other weak-minded villains to do his dirty work.

"Are you sure about this Raven?" Robin questioned as they prepared to enter the facility.

"No, but what other leads do we have?"

"Fair point," Ravager commented, glancing around at the factory's broken down conveyer belts. The sound of chemicals bubbling and a machine working in the background caused them to stop. Ravager turned to Raven. "I thought you said this place was abandoned."

"Not quite."

All four teens snapped their heads up to one of the facility's rickety metal bridges. There Slade stood, half obscured by the shadows. Raven noted the slight slump in his body, the way he breathed in a gentle manner, and she knew it was really him this time. As lifelike as his bots could be, they couldn't mirror every human mannerism.

"What have you done with Beast Boy?" Robin demanded.

Raven and Starfire mimicked his battle posture, and even Ravager took out her katanas.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Slade inquired calmly, pulling out a remote device.

Once again the sounds of machines whirled to life, and Raven finally noticed the small cage dangling above a vat of toxic waste. Beast Boy was trapped inside, and he appeared to be in poor condition. He was on his side; curled up in a ball. His left eye was swollen and his shoulder twisted at a funny angle. His eyes were shut and he was moaning quietly. Starfire gasped in horror, and Raven felt her stomach turn.

"Let him go!" Robin ordered.

"Careful now," Slade taunted. "One wrong move, and that's exactly what I'll do."

The four teens froze, unsure of how to proceed. It seemed it didn't matter what they did; Slade had apparently planned for this.

"My request is simple. We'll make a trade. You bring me what I want, and I will spare your friend's life. Refuse, and he shall perish."

Slade pressed the remote lightly and the cage lowered several feet, just so he could make his point. Beast Boy gave another pained moan.

Raven's skin crawled. There had to be a way out of this. She glanced at Robin and could see the gears in his mind turning. He had to come up with a plan and fast.

"Why can't you just leave us alone?" Ravager asked him.

 _She's buying us time,_ Raven realized. She was suddenly grateful the former villainess was on their side.

Slade's eye narrowed at his daughter. "I always knew you were weak willed. You're a blood traitor, just like you're pathetic half-brother."

Robin reached behind his back, carefully drawing out a smoke bomb. Slade didn't seem to notice, for all his attention was directed at Ravager.

"You never cared about any of us!" she cried.

"I did what I had to in order to protect you all. Only a fool would think otherwise."

Robin completely drew out the smoke bomb and held it behind his back. Raven held her breath, knowing what would come next and praying to Azar nothing went awry.

Everything happened in an instant.

Robin tossed the smoke bomb underneath the metal lift where it exploded right under Slade. The villain stumbled and, intentionally or unintentionally, the cage containing Beast Boy plummeted. Starfire flew underneath the cage and propped it on her shoulders, struggling to keep it from hitting the toxic chemicals below. Robin and Ravager darted up the metal structure and began to engage Slade.

Raven levitated over to Starfire, using her powers to bend the bars. She entered the cage and picked Beast Boy up in her arms. His head lolled back over her forearm, but he didn't seem to be in any pain from being moved. Once they had escaped the metal prison, Starfire finally let the cage drop into the vat. Raven softly placed Beast Boy on the ground a safe distance away from the chemicals. Starfire landed a short distance away from them.

"Will Friend Beast Boy be the okay?" Starfire asked, wringing her hands.

Raven nodded, but inside she was shaking. She placed her hands over his injured form and her hands began to glow with a soothing blue light.

"I've got him," Raven told the redhead. "Help the others."

Starfire nodded and darted over to assist Robin and Ravager. The former had been knocked backwards against one of the factory's walls and now lay motionless. Ravager moved wildly, twisting her katanas in a masterful way. Despite her skill, Slade was better. He seamlessly dodged her attacks and landed a hard kick directly in the center of her chest, catapulting her backwards.

Starfire's eyes glowed green, and her fists lit up in righteous fury. She let loose a barrage of starbolts, forcing Slade to jump backwards on the metal railing. The structure swung dangerously as each starbolt made contact with it. Slade picked up a heavy metal chain and swung it over his head, wrapping it around Starfire's waist. With a grunt, he swung her right into Robin who had just risen. The two Titans crashed into each other and landed harshly on the ground several feet below the railing.

Raven made quick work on Beast Boy, knowing her friends needed her help. The swelling on his eye had already gone down significantly, and she had reset his shoulder. Her head shot up as she heard a loud crash, and realized Ravager had engaged Slade once more.

There was a ferocity in the way the girl fought. Raven noted how each swing of her katanas held an anger that seemed to burn throughout her entire being. She was matching Slade quite well, although it was apparent he was the more seasoned fighter. Ravager didn't bother with showy moves; she went straight for the kill. Raven vaguely noted that if she ended up wanting to be a Titan, Robin would have to break those habits and teach her to humanly subdue her opponent.

The empath turned back to Beast Boy and began healing his cuts and bruises. He was already looking much better, but she was more concerned with his internal injuries.

"You never cared about me," Ravager hissed, as she turned and swung her left katana. "You never cared about any of us!"

"Idiotic girl," Slade snapped, dodging her attack and knocking the sword out of her hand. The weapon fell with a clatter to the concrete below them. Ravager, now only armed with one of her swords, gripped the handle of her blade tightly with two hands.

The two tangoed in a dance of pure rage. Robin and Starfire rose shakily from the ground, still appearing to be disoriented. They, as well as Raven, watched the fight escalate in front of them, not quite sure how to intervene.

"You don't control my life anymore," Ravager declared, nicking his arm and causing him to cry out as the burning of the poison took hold.

Slade stumbled back away from her attack. He hunched his shoulder over, placing a hand on the railing's bent metal bars for support. He straightened only after a few moments.

"You'll always be under my control."

She ran forward, attempting to injure him further with her one katana. Just as it seemed Ravager was finally getting the upper hand, she stumbled forward when one the swings of her katana grossly missed its mark. Slade used her lack of balance against her to twist her wrist and angle the katana in her direction.

He plunged her own weapon into her torso.

Starfire and Robin cried out, and the noise was enough to stir Beast Boy. Raven barely noticed, for she was too focused on the horrific scene in front of her. Ravager's eye went wide in shock, and her mouth opened in a silent scream. Her stomach was instantly coated in a sticky dark red, the katana still firmly imbedded in her body. She fell from the railing and toppled onto the ground, landing in a crumpled heap. Robin and Starfire ran to her side, and Raven momentarily left Beast Boy to assess the damage to the poor girl. She glanced up just in time to see Slade disappear into the shadows.

Raven removed the sword from the girl's stomach with her powers. Ravager's breathing was shallow, so she knew she didn't have much time. She turned to Starfire.

"Starfire, I need you to fly as fast as possible to the Tower and have Cyborg give you the antidote he used on Beast Boy."

The Tamaranean nodded and then zipped away in a green flash. Raven used her powers to seal up the wound, sweating with the effort. Ravager moaned, and Raven took this as a good sign. At least she had the strength to produce a noise.

Just as she was sealing up the wound, Starfire landed beside her with a syringe. Robin took it from her and injected it into the injured girl's side. Ravager didn't even flinch. Robin turned to Raven after the syringe was completely empty.

"Will she live?"

Raven wiped her brow. "I think so. We need to get her back to the Tower as soon as possible though."

"Is it safe to move her?" Starfire questioned, her eyes darting from Robin to Raven.

"It's her best bet if she's going to make it. I would teleport her myself, but it took a great deal of energy to heal her," Raven explained, still feeling a little lightheaded.

Robin turned to Starfire. "Take her to Cyborg. I'll follow you back on the R-Cycle."

"I'll stay with Beast Boy," Raven stated, shooting a glance at the green Titan still lying on the concrete floor.

Robin nodded firmly at her, then headed in the direction where he parked the R-Cycle. Starfire scooped Ravager in her arms and flew out of the facility, flying slightly slower so to not further injure the girl.

"Ughhh…"

At the sound, Raven jerked her head in Beast Boy's direction. He had sat up and was rubbing his head slowly.

"What happened?" he asked, seemingly to no one in particular.

Raven wasn't sure if it was because she was exhausted, or because the events of the day had taken more of an emotional strain on her than she cared to admit, but it didn't matter. She flew over to the changeling and fell to her knees beside him. She flung her arms around him in one of her rare hugs, and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Don't ever scare me like that again…or you'll regret it," she added lamely, pulling away from him.

He gave her a confused look but followed it with a small smile. "Well, I wouldn't want to do anything to make _you_ mad," he teased.

Normally Raven would have quipped something back, but instead she brought him into her arms again, using the last of her strength to force the pricks of tears back into her eyes.

~0~0~0~

When Raven and Beast Boy returned to the Tower, Ravager was in a stable state. She was still comatose, but Raven knew she had done everything she could. The girl needed to fight this internal battle alone.

"So let me get this straight," Beast Boy said to the other Titans right outside the infirmary. "Slade tried to _kill_ his own daughter?"

"Are you that surprised? The guy's a nut," Cyborg reminded him, glancing through the window to the infirmary with a concerned expression adorning his face.

"She is lucky that Raven was nearby to heal her," Starfire spoke, "otherwise she may not have survived."

The rest of the Titans peered into the infirmary where Jericho stood by Ravager's bed. Raven could make out his fingers clutching his sister's limp ones.

"What do we do now?" Cyborg asked. "We can't exactly keep them here forever."

"Yes, what if Slade returns for Jericho?" Starfire added, her eyes wide with worry.

"I think I have a solution, give me second," Robin told them, then disappeared down the hallway.

"Now that we're all together again, can someone _please_ tell me what's been going on?" Beast Boy asked, exasperation evident in his voice.

Cyborg clasped him on the shoulder. "We will lil' man, but how 'bout you rest that noggin' of yours first."

Beast Boy crossed his arms and muttered bitterly under his breath. Robin returned a moment later with a relieved smile on his face. He placed his communicator back on his belt.

"Good news. Gnarrk and Kole have offered to hide Jericho with them for the next few months. Slade won't expect to find him all the way at the North Pole. Kole seemed especially excited," he added, scratching the back of his neck.

"Better tell Jericho the news then," Cyborg said, and the Titans followed him into the infirmary.

"Jericho," Robin began, "You'll be staying with Kole and Gnarrk until this whole Slade thing blows over."

At first Jericho's face lit up at Kole's name but immediately faded into concern afterwards. He pointed to his sister, silently asking what her fate would be.

"We'll find a place for her to stay that's far away from Jump City once she's healed herself," Robin explained. "Then…if she's interested in becoming a Titan, we can connect her with some people we know. She'll be taken care of; trust me."

Robin placed his hand on Jericho's shoulder, and the boy smiled at him.

"You guys are welcome to stay at the Tower for the next couple of days while she heals," Cyborg added, then his face lit up. "I'll go rustle you up some grub right now!"

Ignoring Beast Boy's groan, the cybernetic teen bolted from the room, eager to prepare his guests with a delicious dinner. The other Titans left the infirmary shortly after, wanting to give Jericho some privacy with his sister. Robin and Starfire headed in the direction of ops, but Raven went to her room, thoroughly exhausted.

It wasn't until she was in front of her door that she sensed a presence behind her. She sighed, knowing instantly who it was.

"Do you need me to heal your injuries again?" she inquired, merely turning her head to the side. To her surprise, Beast Boy shifted uncertainty, and he wasn't quite looking at her. She couldn't even begin to imagine what he could be so nervous about.

"No, it's not that. I, uh, wanted to talk to you about something."

Raven finally turned around, crossing her arms. "What?"

Beast Boy swallowed. "A-about when we were in the cave."

She felt her heart drop. "There's nothing to talk about," she said shortly, turning back around and preparing to enter her room.

"Wait!" Beast Boy said in a panic, grasping onto her shoulder.

Raven whipped around at the unwanted contact, and the changeling removed his hand at once, giving her a sheepish grin.

"All I wanted to say was…I'm sorry…if I said anything that made you uncomfortable. I really didn't mean to." He looked down at his feet.

She definitely didn't expect him to apologize. Maybe he hadn't been trying to tease her back in the cave after all. The sight of him looking so remorseful was enough to crack her stony expression.

"It's alright," she said evenly. "You just…confuse me."

Damn. She really hadn't meant to let that slip. He looked up at her, cocking his head to the side. It was then that Raven noticed how closely they were standing. Why did he always insist on invading her personal space? Why did she allow it in the first place? Her stupid heart was beating quickly again, but if he noticed, he didn't point it out this time.

"Look, it's been a long day," Raven continued after several moments of silence. "I need to meditate."

"Oh! Yeah, right. That makes sense. Well if you ever want to talk I'll be around!"

She watched him physically cringe at how awkward his own words sounded. It was adorable enough that she allowed herself a half smile.

"I'll keep that in mind. Good night, Beast Boy."

"Night, Rae."

As the door slid shut behind her, she slumped to the ground and let her back rest against it. She shut her eyes, and a content smile appeared on her face. She felt better than she had in a long time. Was it so bad to feel this way around him? These feelings of hers, what if they weren't just temporary? What if she didn't want them to be?

Raven opened her eyes and stared straight ahead at her nightstand across the room. Somewhere on the top rested a small, copper coin Beast Boy had given her all those months ago.

Maybe it was time to see where this crush would take her.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _There you have it! She finally accepts her crush. Now the real fun begins. The past two chapters have had a lot of action in them, so it's time to get some more humor and romance back into this story._


	7. Valentine's Day

The other Titans knew something was up when Cyborg began cleaning. He vacuumed the rugs, wiped the counters, washed the dishes, cleaned the windows, dusted every possible surface imaginable, and then moved on to the next area. At one point he even tried to enter Raven's room, which was where the empath finally drew the line. She, Beast Boy, Robin and Starfire finally confronted him in the workout room, where he was spraying down all the equipment with cleanser.

"Um, Friend Cyborg? Are you feeling the okay?" Starfire asked uncertainly.

"Yeah dude, like you never clean anything."

"Except for your baby," Raven added, referencing the T-Car.

"What's up, Cy?" Robin questioned, a concerned expression on his face.

Cyborg turned to them his eye twitching. "What makes you think something's up? Everything is _just fine!_ No need to worry here!" He followed this statement with insane laughter.

Well, Raven had had enough for one day.

Without further ado, she trapped Cyborg with her powers and lowered him to the floor until he calmed down. Releasing him from her grasp, she uncrossed her arms and stared at him with an unamused expression. Cyborg got up and sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Valentine's Day is this weekend and Sarah said… she wanted to meet y'all."

Starfire's face lit up. "Glorious! I am so pleased your courtship with Sarah has gone so well!"

"I take it you aren't as excited," Robin observed.

Cyborg sighed again. "I really like her. I know we've only been seeing each other for a little while now, but there's something special about her. I just don't want to mess it up."

"What and you think _we'll_ mess it up for you?" Beast Boy asked, offended. The other Titans gave him a bland look.

"It's not that," Cyborg assured him. "It's just…I've never dated anyone that doesn't have powers. I just don't want to overwhelm her with everything."

Raven walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Her arm stretched up high to make up the distance. "Cyborg, we're your friends. We won't let anything happen that will make her uncomfortable. When she comes over we'll introduce ourselves and then become scarce. _All_ of us," she added, shooting a glare at Beast Boy who shrugged innocently.

"We will make her feel most welcome!"

"Yeah Cy, you can count on us."

"Thanks guys," Cyborg said, looking a lot calmer. "Well, I'm gonna go grocery shopping. Valentine's Day will be here before we know it, and I wanna make Sarah a nice dinner." He then left the room to begin his preparation.

Beast Boy turned to Robin and Starfire. "What are you guys doing for Valentine's Day?"

Robin's face immediately turned beet red, and a light dusting of pink spread over Starfire's cheeks.

"The Valentine's Day is on the week that ends, yes? Robin and I have planned to fly to Tokyo for that period in time. The city holds many dear memories for us," she said referring to their first kiss.

"How…sentimental," Raven observed.

Robin shrugged, although Raven could tell he was excited out of his mind to be with Starfire for a whole weekend. The Boy Wonder turned to his girlfriend.

"Now that I think about it Star, we might have to postpone it for a few hours. It's only right we meet Cy's new girlfriend."

"Oh yes," the Tamaranean gushed, "I must insist we stay until we do the introductions."

"Sounds like a plan."

The couple left after bidding Raven and Beast Boy goodbye, telling them they had to begin packing. Raven suspected by the way they were making eyes at each other that they wouldn't begin the chore until much, _much_ later in the day.

Beast Boy cleared his throat. "So, looks like there's gonna be lots of romance this weekend."

"Mm-hmm."

"Lots of flowers and chocolate and teddy bears."

"Yup."

"And gooey faces and kisses and-"

"Did you have a point to this?" Raven interrupted.

Beast Boy scratched the back of his head. "I just thought, since you and I will be stags this weekend…maybe you'd want to hang out."

"First of all the expression is _going stag_. Secondly, how do you know I don't have a date?"

His face paled. "Oh…do you have a date?" he asked in a small voice.

Raven almost smiled. Almost. "No."

"Oh okay," Beast Boy said, looking a little relieved he wasn't in the seventh layer of Hell by now. "So what do ya say?"

Raven considered his offer. He hadn't really asked her out on a date, yet he was asking if she would hang out with him during Valentine's Day weekend. Did that mean this was an unofficial date? Should she ask?

Because she was herself and that apparently meant she couldn't even allow her mind to have this little fantasy, she promptly broke it for herself.

"Okay. As friends though," she told him strictly.

"Yeah! Of course," Beast Boy said, nodding like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Raven suddenly wished _she_ was in another dimension.

"Alright, so it's a date then!" Beast Boy beamed, and then paused. " _As friends_ ," he added. And then, as if that wasn't humiliating enough, he slapped her on the back as he would Robin or Cyborg.

He left soon after, leaving Raven to wonder if Starfire had ever felt like this.

It turned out she didn't even have to ask the Tamaranean, for she _and_ Cyborg eventually got wind of her and Beast Boy's unofficial date and the two cornered her in a darkened hallway the next day.

"Oh see, I have _told_ you!" Starfire cheered, gesturing wildly between Cyborg and Raven.

"Hey I could see if for myself too," Cyborg pointed out. "I mean, I couldn't _believe_ it, but I could see it."

"Do you mind telling me what you two are going on about?" Raven clipped, annoyed her meditation time was being postponed for their nonsense.

"Why, you and Beast Boy's date of course!"

"He told us about your _magical_ weekend!"

"He was simply too excited. Ooo! I shall take you to the mall of shopping and-"

"He _what?_ " Raven demanded.

Starfire paused and glanced at Cyborg in confusion. "We thought you would be overjoyed."

"It isn't a date. We specifically defined it as a friendly outing. Not that I wanted a date to begin with."

"But…it is on the Valentine's week of the end…"

"What Star's trying to say is," Cyborg cut in, "is that BB seems really pumped to spend the weekend with you. Just be aware of that."

Raven's heart pumped rapidly. "Are you implying I would lead him on? That's ridiculous. The person has to actually like you in order to lead them on." She paused. "He hasn't…said anything to you has he?"

Cyborg shook his head. "I haven't asked. And us guys don't normally go around sharing stuff like that out of our own free will."

Raven tried to ignore the overwhelming wave of disappointment that hit her.

"Oh I have asked him on many occasions!" Starfire piped in. "He never does the answering, but his face does turn the color of the cherry! I think this is a most promising sign."

"Uh…yeah," Raven said, suddenly uncomfortable. "Well I'm going to go meditate now…" She began to walk away, but Cyborg's voice made her pause.

"If it turns out he does Rae, do me a favor, and don't break his heart."

Raven didn't respond; instead she continued walking down the hallway as if Cyborg hadn't spoken.

 _He's not the one I'm worried about._

~0~0~0~

Raven watched in amusement as Beast Boy climbed on top of the kitchen counter so he could take a look at his reflection on Cyborg's head. The cybernetic teen had made sure every inch of his body look brand new.

"Whatch think? Too much?" he asked the green Titan.

"Nah, Dude. She's gonna love it!" Beast Boy encouraged, jumping down from the counter and taking a seat next to Raven.

At that moment the ops doors slid open. Cyborg whipped around with a smile on his face, but he relaxed his posture once he saw it was only Robin and Starfire. They carried a suitcase in each hand, placing them effortlessly by the sofa.

"Happy Valentine's Day, friends!" Starfire cheered, throwing her arms up. "Cyborg, when will Sarah make an appearance?"

"Should be any minute now," he replied, looking down at his scanners and rubbing a hand over his smooth head. "You guys leaving soon?"

"Not until we meet her," Robin said, smiling.

Raven felt Beast Boy lean close to her right. "Odds Robin and Starfire don't even make it to Tokyo," he said elbowing her side suggestively.

She would have leaned away from the unwanted jabbing, but she froze in place, too focused on the feeling of his lips brushing the rim of her ear. She shuddered and Beast Boy pulled back with a frown on his face. Raven raised a book to her head to cover her blush of embarrassment.

Thankfully Sarah entered a few seconds later to distract from her mortifying reaction. She got up to welcome her, instantly remembering the pretty blonde Cyborg had been talking to at the park. Robin and Beast Boy shook her hand, Raven politely nodded her welcome, and Starfire, of course, wrapped the girl up in a bone-crushing hug.

"You'll get many more of those," Robin told Sarah sheepishly, as Starfire pulled away.

Cyborg walked over to his girlfriend and swung an arm around her shoulders.

"We were gonna go see a movie, but we'll be back around dinner time," he told the others.

"Star and I should get going if we want to make it to Japan before dark," Robin mentioned. "We'll see you guys again late Sunday."

"Goodbye Friends!" Starfire gushed. "It was so nice to meet you, Friend Sarah!"

"Nice to meet you too, Starfire," Sarah replied, smiling shyly at the alien.

Robin and Starfire left soon after, followed by Cyborg and Sarah who were off to see their movie. With the rest of the team gone, Raven became very wary of what the next two and a half days with Beast Boy would entail.

Suddenly terrified she had agreed to something like this in the first place, Raven adamantly ignored him, choosing instead to focus on her book. She should have known the changeling could only take so much neglect, for he began to bug her relentlessly.

"So Rae-Rae, what do you wanna do? We could play video games, watch a movie, go to the park, play volleyball, go swimming, or go to the comic book store-"

"I'm _reading_ ," she responded pointedly.

Beast Boy let out a dramatic sigh. He plopped onto the couch beside her once more, his face turned up in a sour expression.

"You said you would hang out with me," he whined.

Raven placed her book on her lap. "To be honest, I don't know why you have such a strong desire to spend time together. We have virtually nothing in common."

"That's not true," he argued, sitting up. "We have lots of things in common like…uh…we both fight bad guys!"

Raven rolled her eyes.

"And we both have sweet powers, and we have the same friends, and we're both totally funny, and good-looking-"

"Huh?" Raven said, turning to him.

Beast Boy leaned back on his hands. "Oh come _on,_ Rae. You can't honestly tell me you don't find me devilishly handsome."

Actually, she had been referring to the fact that he had called _her_ good-looking, but since his comment wasn't far from the truth, her face became bright red.

"Fine. I'll hang out with you if you just stop talking."

"Great! What do you want to do?"

Raven thought about this. She had had fun swimming with him before, but it looked like it was about to storm. She thought about going to the movies, but he would undoubtedly want to see some mindless horror film, which she had no interest in stomaching. There didn't seem to be a lot of things they would both enjoy doing. She wished she could just go to her room, open a book or meditate and-

Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind.

"Wait here," she told him as she retreated to her room. She picked up an old spell book, dusting the cover off as she did so. She returned to the ops room with the book slung under her arm. Beast Boy gave her a curious glance, but she ignored him as she placed the large novel on the coffee table in front of them.

"This is one of the most ancient spell books created on Azarath," she explained. "It contains many dangerous and dark spells; spells that could make you lose your mind." She paused here for a moment. "It also happens to contain some…lighter magic. The purpose of these spells was to train young monks who were just beginning to be exposed to complex magic. I thought we could try some of them out…if you were interested."

Beast Boy's eyes practically dropped out of his head. "Yeah, let's try them!" He began flipping through the book animatedly, seeing which spell caught his eye.

"Careful," Raven warned, "You don't know what spells-"

 _"Azarath_ _Mortarian Genzith!"_ Beast Boy shouted, and the two Titans were sucked from the room.

~0~0~0~

When Raven opened her eyes again, she was floating through space. The nebula around her was colored in magnificent shades of orange and pink and green. It didn't take her long to realize she was in another dimension. Well this was ironic; considering this was the kind of thing she always threatened Beast Boy with. She sighed; it was lucky the changeling had only done this and not read something much worse. It was an easy fix; all she would have to do is teleport them home.

If she could even locate him.

She paused, trying to feel for him with her powers. The task proved nearly impossible due to all the energy around her, but she thought she could catch a trace of him to her front right. She began to levitate in that direction, passing through clouds of stardust as she did so.

A few minutes into her flight she became anxious. Who's to say this dimension had oxygen? She would be fine of course, but Beast Boy was metahuman. If it turned out there was no way he could breathe, he would already be a goner.

Raven tried to calm herself. She could still faintly sense him, which was a good sign. Maybe he was alright after all. As she continued to levitate towards his aura, she saw the outline of a figure on the other side of another nebula. It seemed to float limply, and that was all she needed to make her stomach drop in dread.

She burst through the cloud to find him drifting with his eyes closed, his arms and legs bobbing lightly. At the sound of her choked breathing, his eyes popped open and Raven's horror changed to shock, relief, and then anger.

"Sup, Rae?" Beast Boy said, waving to her as he drifted. "This is pretty sweet, huh?"

Raven didn't answer him, but she was still furious at him for making her worry, so she levitated up to him and punched him hard in the arm. Beast Boy yelped and then rubbed the injured appendage, tossing her an annoyed glare.

"I told you to be careful with that book," she lectured him, still angry.

"I know, I know, but I couldn't resist! Besides, nothing bad happened did it?"

Raven's jaw set, but she had to admit he was right. Nothing bad had happened…yet.

"Have you just been floating here aimlessly?" she asked, changing topics.

Beast Boy nodded. "I tried changing a couple of times, but I guess flying as a hawk isn't the same as just actually _flying._ I was just gonna chill here until you came and found me."

Raven gave him a deadpan look. What if she couldn't locate him? Wasn't he worried in the slightest? He was so infuriating!

"Let's go home," she said blandly, reaching her hand out to him.

Beast Boy flapped his arms as if he was trying to "swim" to her, with no apparent luck. "Aw, come on. Let's stay here for a bit! Haven't you ever wanted to fly 'among the stars,' Rae?"

"No."

Beast Boy reached out and managed to grab her hands. "Well too bad. I'm gonna make you have fun. Now, pull me around!"

Raven rolled her eyes but took both of his hands. Using her levitation she swung him in a half-circle. "How exactly is this fun for me?"

Beast Boy laughed. "Just _try_ to have fun, Rae. I know you can. I've seen if before, even if I've had to yank it out of you."

She sighed. She guessed she could give it a shot. The least it could do was make him stop whining. So she played his little game. She swung him around a couple of times and they levitated higher, drifting through various clouds of stardust. The colors clung to their hair and clothing, and they swirled around their bodies every time they disturbed a cluster.

There weren't many times Raven had considered levitating for fun. She had always viewed it as a tool in battle or meditation, not something she would use for pleasure. As she flew, twisting herself around Beast Boy, however, she wondered why she hadn't just levitated for fun more often. When she joined their hands again, a line of dust settled underneath Beast Boy's nose. The changeling wiggled the facial feature in an attempt to clear the particles, but he ended up letting out a sneeze instead.

Raven equated the sound and appearance of his unplanned movement to that of a bunny ruffling its whiskers. The visual was so absurd she giggled out loud. She froze immediately after, letting go of one of Beast Boy's hands to cover her mouth.

Beast Boy stared at her with his mouth open. One of his ears stuck out at an odd angle, giving the impression he was trying to process something challenging.

"Did you just…giggle?" he asked incredulously.

Raven did her best to drag down the blush threatening to spread across her cheeks. "No."

He laughed. "You totally did! _I_ made _you_ giggle! I knew you thought I was funny!"

Raven scrunched up her mouth. "That's debatable."

She let him have this one though, since there was no use denying it. She had to admit, he really did look handsome under the twinkling of the stars. The nebula's dust tangled in his hair and spread across his cheeks. His shoulders were coated in sparkles of oranges and greens.

She vaguely wondered if he thought the same thing, looking at her.

They stayed 'among the stars' for several more minutes before Raven finally suggested they teleport back. Beast Boy went willingly, thoroughly pleased he had convinced Raven to stay as long as they did. Even as they landed back in ops, they were still covered in remnants of nebula. Looking at the darkness outside, they discovered it was actually quite late, so they assumed Cyborg must have already gone to bed after his date with Sarah.

They walked together down the hall to their rooms, shaking off the dust as they went. When they approached Beast Boy's room, he turned to her.

"I had tons of fun today," he told her, his twinkling eyes reminiscent of the ones they floated with.

Raven nodded, hoping she didn't say something stupid.

"Would you maybe want to go to lunch tomorrow?" he asked.

"Uh…sure."

His face lit up. "Great! Night, Raven."

Even after she left his hallway and entered the one that contained her room, Raven had a smile on her face. When she discovered what she was doing, she vaguely wondered if his goofiness was contagious.

The next morning Robin and Starfire were still in Tokyo, and Cyborg had apparently gone over to Sarah's apartment for the day. Although Raven normally would be enjoying the quiet of the nearly empty Tower, she had to admit she was a little excited for lunch. The only problem was it was nearly eleven, and she hadn't even seen the changeling yet.

Soon eleven-thirty came and went, and then noon. It was nearly one o'clock when Raven decided her patience was up, and she'd done enough waiting. She went to Beast Boy's room; annoyed and a little worried he had forgotten their commitment. She raised her fist to pound on his door, ready to give him a piece of her mind, when it slid open to reveal the green Titan.

Raven held her fist in mid-air, surprised at seeing him so suddenly. When she lowered her hand, her surprise lingered as she took in his appearance. He was still in his uniform, but it was spotless. Normally there was at least one food stain, or at the very least lint covering his clothing. He looked freshly showered and was clearly wearing some sort of cologne, although it was a little too powerful. That's not what got her though. It was the fact that his hair was gelled back in this awkward style that made him look like he was ready to go to a gymnasium for a sixth grade dance.

She didn't really know what to think. She couldn't imagine why he would present himself like this, but it was jarring to say the least. She blinked several times.

"Uh…"

"Ready to go to lunch?" Beast Boy asked, his mouth quirking in a smile.

Raven nodded dumbly, since she was still speechless. The two walked together down the hallway, heading in the direction of the Tower's roof. It made sense for them to just fly there.

Suddenly not being able to take the silence any longer, Raven cleared her throat.

"Did you, uh, steal Robin's hair gel?"

Beast Boy laughed nervously. "More like borrowed it."

"Ah."

"Yup."

"…Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you borrow it?"

"You don't like it?"

"Was I supposed to?"

Beast Boy furrowed his eyebrows, looking a little annoyed and a little embarrassed. Raven instantly felt bad for bringing it up.

"It's not awful," she amended. At least that wasn't a lie.

That seemed to do the trick because he grinned at her. "I knew you'd like it if I cleaned up."

Raven rolled her eyes, but she was a little flattered he had thought to make himself presentable for her. She considered her own appearance, wondering if she should have picked something else to wear.

Once the two got to the roof, Beast Boy changed into a hawk and they flew in the direction of downtown Jump. They arrived at a Thai place Robin had recommended a couple of weeks ago. They found a quiet table near the back of the restaurant so as not to draw too much attention to themselves. It was more for Raven's benefit, but she was glad Beast Boy knew her well enough to know her preferences. She ordered ginseng tea and miso soup, while he went for the vegetable stir-fry.

"That has tofu in it you know," he pointed out, gesturing to her food.

Raven took a dainty slurp of her soup. "Yes, but it's tofu being tofu. It's not pretending to be something else."

Beast Boy shrugged while he munched on a water chestnut. "Don't knock it 'til you try it."

"I _have_ tried it. I can't even count how many times you've forced tofu eggs and bacon down my throat."

Raven stiffened a little when she felt his foot brush against hers. It had to have been an accident. She thought back to how Starfire and Cyborg had insisted Beast Boy was very excited about spending time with her. She found herself so focused on the contact, that she missed his next remark.

"Sorry, what?" she asked.

"I said you know you liked it."

 _Are we still talking about tofu?_ "Yeah, sure."

"So, do you think Rob and Star have done it?"

Raven spluttered as she took a sip of her tea. She coughed for several seconds before sending a glare at Beast Boy.

"Why in Azar's name would you ask me that?"

Beast Boy shrugged, but he had a smug look on his face. "I don't know. They've been dating for a while right? I just figured Star would have told you."

"She hasn't said anything, and even if she had, I wouldn't tell you."

"Well I hope she continues to tell you stuff, 'cuz if not that means she's gonna tell _me."_

"You're the one that seems interested in her sex life," Raven commented dryly.

Beast Boy rolled his eyes, a gesture Raven was sure he had picked up from her. "It's not like I'm dying to know. It just seems weird is all."

"Sex?" Raven questioned, still not believing they were actually talking about this.

"No. Well…sort of. I mean, I just think it's weird if they've actually… _done_ it, and I haven't even kissed a girl."

Raven's eyebrows rose. This was news to her. "Terra-"

"Went on a date with me," he finished, "but we never kissed."

Raven nodded, aware that this pleased her a little. "That's a shame."

"It's alright," he shrugged, but he wasn't looking at her. "I know you didn't like her much."

"I like you."

Beast Boy smiled. "I like you too, Rae."

"No," Raven said, feeling like she was about to vomit. "I _like_ you."

He frowned, confusion written all over his face. "I don't-"

A scream outside the restaurant interrupted him, and Raven couldn't be more grateful in that moment. They bolted outside to find Control Freak harassing civilians with his television references while he robbed a comic book store. The two Titans glanced at each other blandly, before preparing to take the nerd down.

~0~0~0~

After they had defeated Control Freak, they returned back to the Tower. Beast Boy had asked if she had wanted to finish their lunch, but she declined. He seemed a little upset, but she forced herself not to care. She really felt like she needed to be away from him.

She didn't come out of her room. Not for dinner. Not for breakfast or for lunch the next morning. By the time she realized she was starving, Starfire and Robin had returned from their mini-vacation. She didn't want to be rude and not welcome them back, but she still didn't feel like speaking to anyone.

She had to eat eventually though. As she was debating with herself whether or not she should just phase in and out of the kitchen, a knock came from the other side of her door.

"Raven?" Starfire called. "I have been told you have not been eating much, so I have brought you the pancake. Cyborg has made the breakfast for dinnertime."

Raven smiled a little. Leave it to Starfire to be the first to make sure all of her friends were a hundred percent happy. She opened the door for the alien, and after they exchanged a few words, she decided to let the girl in.

They sat on the floor of her room. Raven dug into her pancake as she listened to Starfire rattle off all the activities she and Robin had done in Tokyo. Her stories were a welcome distraction from Raven's troubled mind.

"I also have something else to share with you, Friend," Starfire continued, smiling shyly.

"What is it?" Raven inquired, taking another bite of pancake.

"Robin and I have made passionate love."

Raven choked on her food for the second day in a row. Starfire looked at her in alarm and appeared prepared to perform the Heimlich, but Raven shook her head. After she had gotten rid of the blockage in her throat, she glanced at Starfire, trying to compose herself.

"That's…wonderful news, Starfire."

The girl's eyes lit up. "Oh yes, it was most enjoyable. The book on human pleasure you helped me purchase was very helpful. Robin has assured me it was his first time becoming intimate, but if that is so, he seemed _quite_ versed in-"

"You don't have to share the details, it's okay, really."

Starfire frowned. "Am I making you uncomfortable? Perhaps Beast Boy would-"

"Actually, it's okay you can tell me," Raven said quickly. She still felt sick at the thought of the changeling, but at least she could afford him this small service and spare him from thinking about Robin in the throngs of ecstasy.

Raven visibly shuddered. "Go on," she told Starfire.

The Tamaranean told her everything that had happened. _Everything._ By the end of her retelling, Raven felt as though her own virginity had been taken just based off of the graphic details. Her cheeks were surely going to be a permanent red.

"Oh, how foolish of me! How was your weekend with Beast Boy?" Starfire questioned, her smile wide.

Raven eyes shot down, feeling her throat tighten. Starfire must have noticed how miserable she was, for she wrapped the empath in a tight hug.

"Oh Raven, although I do not wish to, you know that if he has broken your heart I must injure him."

Raven pulled away, sniffing. "It's not that Star. I don't even really know what it is. It's…complicated," she finished lamely.

Starfire smiled down at her in understanding. "Sometimes there were days when I believed Robin felt nothing more for me than mere friendship."

"That's different. Everyone knew he was crazy about you."

Starfire cocked her eyebrow. "Is it so different, Friend Raven?"

Raven wasn't really sure anymore.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _I really want to just make them get them together so bad, but with the way the show dragged on Robin and Starfire, I wanted to make their growing relationship realistic. Don't worry though, these next three chapters aren't going to disappoint in that department._


	8. Civilians

**Author's Note** : _So I learned the show never included Robin's real identity as Dick Grayson because they didn't want their younger viewers to see him as a regular civilian. They wanted kids to be like Robin in the same way they might want to be like Beast Boy or Starfire, etc. It's kind of a cool concept. I always assumed they never showed any of that stuff because it made him more mysterious, and revealing his identity has been done before. I'll always love the fact that his eyes were never really animated in the show and he was never_ really _seen without his mask._

 _Might seem like I'm rambling right? Well actually this tidbit of information ties into this chapter labeled "Civilians" for a reason. Because I'm trying to stay true to the style of the show, the name "Dick Grayson" will not be mentioned in this story. It might be if it was from Starfire's perspective, but it's from Raven's. Not that Robin would ever use his real name going undercover anyway. I have opted to use the alias "John Wayne" for Robin in this chapter because it incorporates his biological father's first name and his adoptive father's last name. It's vague enough that anyone could use it, but it still ties in to Robin's origins in a subtle way, which the show was good at pulling off. It will make more sense once the premise of this chapter is revealed._

 _Enough blabber, on to the good stuff!_

~0~0~0~

Raven emerged from her room more and more until everything pretty much returned to normal. Well, almost everything. Things with Beast Boy had been a little uncomfortable since their "date," and neither one of them appeared to be ready to talk to the other about it. Not only that, but the team dynamic was also a little tense as of late.

This was due to the fact that Robin was going undercover for the third time this month. It was often enough that the Titans were getting a little worried, especially Starfire. Robin was always secretive when it came to missions, but he had grown a lot since the team had first formed. He rarely kept things from them now, but with this latest batch of solo missions, the others were nervous he still clung to his old habits.

Starfire was of course also specifically concerned about his safety. Raven knew the alien was always very involved in missions where she thought Robin would need help, but she had to keep her distance with these particular ones. They all did, and it's not like Robin didn't have a good reason.

"I wish you guys could come with me," he had told them. "It's just that…these are undercover missions, and you guys kind of stick out."

"What do you mean?" Beast Boy responded, defensive. The other Titans had given him bland looks.

"We understand, Man. We just hope you know you can trust us behind the scenes, not just with stuff in the field," Cyborg said.

"We trust you are making the proper judgments," Starfire continued, "but it is imperative you keep communication of openness."

"I promise I will, Star," he said, squeezing her hand. "I'll see you guys in a few days. Don't call unless it's an absolute emergency, and remember to ask for 'John Wayne' if you do. I don't want to blow my cover."

He gave them a reassuring smile and adjusted the shades he wore. His hair was flattened and combed to the side. He was dressed business casual, a look Raven had never once seen him wear. The gray suit pants and blue button down didn't seem to be cheap, but they weren't overly expensive either. In fact, Raven had often seen young entrepreneurs in Jump City sporting this look on their way to work. To be honest, if she didn't know Robin so well, it would be very easy to mistake him for just another civilian in Jump.

"Good luck," Raven said, right before he left. He shot her a smile and then drove off in the R-Cycle, which had been painted to resemble a normal motorcycle.

When he had left, Starfire let out a sad sigh. "I understand his concerns, but I do wish there was a way we could accompany him."

"Me too, but you heard him, Star. We stick out," Beast Boy pointed out.

Raven noticed Cyborg had that look on his face, the look that said he was thinking something over.

"Hey BB, do you mind helping me out with something in my room?" he asked, a little too casually.

Raven shot him a suspicious look, but he actively avoided her gaze. Beast Boy nodded, not really seeing anything unusual with the request. Starfire also didn't appear to suspect him of anything, leaving Raven to wonder if she was overthinking things.

The next two days passed by without much event. They were called out two times to face petty criminals, but other than that, the Tower remained quiet. Robin was still gone, and Raven and Starfire barely saw the other boys. Whatever Cyborg was up to was apparently very time consuming.

Not that Raven really minded. Again, things hadn't really been the same since her Valentine's Day weekend with Beast Boy. She had basically put herself on the line and told him her feelings, but he hadn't said anything back to her. Granted, they had been interrupted by Control Freak, but still, he hadn't sought her out, not even after she spent the rest of the weekend in her room.

Moreover, his recent absence from her life made her realize just how much she had been spending time with him these past few months. Now that it seemed like they were avoiding each other, Raven found she had large pockets in her day with nothing to do. The past week or so she began spending more time with Cyborg and Starfire, since they had a vague idea of what was transpiring. They never brought up Beast Boy, which she appreciated, and they never talked to the changeling about her to her knowledge. She was extremely grateful to both of them for staying uninvolved and also for not making her admit what appeared to be obvious to everyone but Beast Boy.

And Robin.

It's not that she didn't trust the Boy Wonder with these things, in fact he probably knew her better than anyone in the Tower. The problem was when it came to romance; the Titans' leader could be rather oblivious. After all, it took him nearly two years just to get things started with Starfire.

The point was she was thankful for the companionship Starfire and Cyborg offered, but she would be lying if she said she didn't miss Garfield. She kept her yearnings to herself, however, even after another three days had passed, and they had heard no word from Robin, despite his insisting he would be home within three days.

Raven sat on the sofa in ops, attempting to read a book but not really being able to focus due to Starfire's fretful pacing. She couldn't really blame the girl. Robin was rarely off schedule when it came to missions, and he was _two days_ late. She was starting to get worried herself.

"He has never done this. Even when he is under the cover he at least calls me to do the checking in every night, if only for a short while," Starfire spoke out loud to herself, nervously flying back and forth in front of Raven. "What if he is gravely injured or worse? What if he is laying somewhere abandoned and-"

"Starfire please calm down," Raven said. "We're all worried, but there's nothing we can really do. We can't just go around town looking for Robin as ourselves. That would defeat the whole point of him going undercover. We just need to trust him and accept there's nothing we can do but wait."

Starfire sat on the couch next to Raven's left. "You are right, Friend. It is just most difficult to have to sit here and do nothing while-"

The ops doors slid open and both girls looked up in surprise. They hadn't seen either Cyborg or Beast Boy since yesterday morning, and hadn't expected to see them again until much later. As they glanced up, however, neither one had entered the room. Instead, a short teenage stranger with sandy blonde hair had appeared. The boy looked around the room and nodded to the two girls before casually making his way to the kitchen.

Raven and Starfire stared at the boy, completely dumbfounded. Raven was sure the expression on their faces had to be comical, for she could practically feel her eyes bulging out of her skull. How in the world had this stranger just wandered in with all the Tower's security measures? Cyborg would be furious.

The boy rummaged through their fridge, rudely throwing out things he deemed inedible. He finally found what he was looking for and pulled out a soda. He opened the can and chugged the whole thing before crushing his can and throwing it over his shoulder. The empty can bounced off Starfire's head, but the alien didn't even seem to flinch as she continued to gawk at the boy with an open jaw.

The boy hopped over the couch and plopped down next to Raven's right. He leaned against the back of the couch with his arms up. He eyed Raven and gave her a cocky smirk.

"Hey Girl."

This finally broke the female Titans out of their trance. In one motion Raven used her powers to throw the boy against the wall. She trapped him in her energy, even as he began to struggle and protest. Her four demon eyes made an appearance and she was well aware that Starfire's were glowing green behind her.

"Who are you and how were you able to break into our home?" Starfire demanded, her hands lighting up.

The boy thrashed back and forth against Raven's bindings. "Wait, hold on!" he protested.

At that moment Cyborg burst into ops and then, assessing the situation, became panicked.

"Raven, Starfire!" he yelled. "Stop! It's Beast Boy!"

"What?"

"Pardon?"

The girls turned to their cybernetic friend in utter confusion, and it was enough for the blonde boy to free his arms. He removed a metal ring from his ring finger, and sure enough, Beast Boy appeared.

Raven withdrew her powers, and Beast Boy landed ungracefully on the floor with a shriek. She turned to Cyborg next.

"Care to explain what's going on?" she asked, thoroughly peeved.

Cyborg gave them a sheepish smile. "Remember when I had to go undercover at Hive Academy? I used a hologram ring and the alias Victor Stone, so no one knew who I was. When Rob said we couldn't go with him 'cuz we stick out, I thought I'd design a similar invention we could all use. That-" he said, gesturing to Beast Boy, "-was the test run. And it worked." He looked pretty pleased with himself.

Starfire's eyes returned to their normal hue. "I must admit, I did not recognize him in the slightest."

"He…did look completely different," Raven amended.

"Isn't it awesome?" Beast Boy piped in, holding his ring between two fingers. "Now we can go after Robin!"

Starfire perked up at the news. She glanced in Cyborg's direction. "You have created the rings for all of us?"

Cyborg nodded, taking out three more rings. He held onto one of them, and then placed a ring in Starfire's and in Raven's hands.

"Each ring specifically combines with the user's DNA to simulate an illusion that appears human," he explained. "Basically, it's what we would all look like if we weren't…us."

Starfire put on her ring and transformed before their eyes. Her coloring became softer, and she gained fuller eyebrows and whites behind her normally completely green eyes. Her skin turned a light bronze, and her hair shifted into a dark orange. A small smattering of freckles fell across her nose.

"How will our powers be affected?" Raven inquired, studying Starfire's new look.

"I wouldn't recommend using them," Cyborg advised. "The technology's pretty sensitive, and I don't know how much it can take before it malfunctions or worse, does some damage. Unless you want to completely blow cover or get completely fried, I suggest limiting the use of our powers until we can get to a secure location to remove the rings."

Beast Boy placed his ring back on his finger, and the blonde boy returned. Raven noticed his eyes were a beautiful azure color.

"What are ya waiting for, Rae?" this unfamiliar boy asked her.

Raven was a little surprised at his question, especially since it was the first actual interaction they had had with each other in a number of days. Raven glanced unsurely at the ring in her palm, and then with a sigh, slid it onto her ring finger.

She shuddered as she felt her transformation sweep through her. Her hair became longer and turned jet-black. Her skin changed from gray to a pale peach color. Her eyes turned from violet to a dark blue. She turned, staring at herself in the reflection of the Tower's windows.

So this is what is was like to be fully human. She saw Beast Boy's reflection approaching behind her and she turned around to face him. He barely noticed her though; he was utterly mesmerized with his own appearance. Raven couldn't blame him. For Starfire and herself, these human shells were like putting on a costume, but for Cyborg and Beast Boy…the rings gave them a chance to see what they would look like if things had been different.

"Sarah was able to smuggle me some uniforms from her old high school," Cyborg explained, pulling out four differently sized clothing. "I figured it'd make sense to act like we were students. That way it wouldn't be too suspicious to be seen together in public."

"Even with these disguises…is it wise for all four of us to travel together?" Starfire questioned, taking her uniform from Cyborg.

The half-robot smiled at her. "You're one step ahead of me, Star. I was just gonna suggest we split up. We can cover more ground that way. We'll still use the communicators, but don't take them out unless you're in a secluded area. I was thinking Raven and BB take the upside of town, while Starfire and I scour the downtown area. We can meet back in the center at the end of the day. I'm assuming y'all already have civilian aliases? You already know mine's Victor Stone."

"I'll just stick with Garfield Logan," Beast Boy said. "It's not like anyone in Jump would recognize that name anyway."

"I've used the name Rachel Roth in the past," Raven mentioned.

Starfire looked unsure of herself. "I do not believe there is such a name as Koriand'r on your planet. Surely I would still do the sticking out?"

Cyborg scratched his chin, and then a light bulb seemed to go off in his head. "Why don't we try splitting your name, Star? Koriand'r can become…Kory Anders. Does that work?"

Starfire lit up. "Oh yes, I do like the sound of that!"

Cyborg grinned and then put on his own ring. "Alright Titans…I mean…gang, let's head out!"

~0~0~0~

After everyone had changed into his or her school uniforms, the four odd teens left in the T-Car, which Victor had taken the time to paint to look like a regular sedan. Once they had reached the upside of town, Rachel and Gar got out of the car.

"Don't hesitate to call if something goes wrong," Victor told them.

"Don't worry, Cy-…I mean Vic, we got this," Gar replied, grinning sheepishly.

"Goodbye Friends! We shall see you in a matter of hours," Kory said from the passenger seat, and then before Rachel knew it, they drove off in the direction of downtown Jump.

Rachel swallowed. She wasn't really sure how this whole mission with Gar was going to go. Then again, she had assumed they weren't on the best of terms, but looking at his expression now, he didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable.

 _Is he honestly just going to pretend nothing happened?_ Raven thought. Despite the annoyance that flooded through her, she was also a little relieved. She sighed to herself. She couldn't even make up her own mind about how she felt, how could she expect him to make up his? She decided to follow his lead for the time being and put aside their awkward Valentine's encounter.

"So where should we start?" he asked, stretching out his arms.

"Uh…" Good question, considering they had little to no information to go off of. They had no idea where Robin was or what his mission entailed. All they knew was that he went under the alias 'John Wayne.'

Rachel scanned the area, trying to think like Robin. If he were in trouble, he would have sent some sort of clue. If all they had to go off of was his alias, then that's where they would need to start.

"We'll go to City Hall," Rachel decided. "If Robin needed a failsafe he would have included a record of his fake identity in case anyone checked up on him. There's bound to be more information on John Wayne there."

"That's a great idea, Rae!" If Gar noticed his slip up, he didn't seem to notice. Rachel wasn't really sure it mattered considering the nickname 'Rae' could technically be considered a shorter version of Rachel as well as Raven.

"Come on, we're going to need our powers for this," she told him, leading him over to an alleyway.

They attempted to remove the rings for several minutes, but no matter how hard they pulled, the metal accessories wouldn't budge.

"Hey, what gives?" Garfield complained, tugging the life out of his finger.

Rachel took out her communicator with a scowl and called Victor.

"Why can't we take the rings off?" she demanded once he was on the line.

The half-robot looked at her uneasily. "Yeah, Kory and I are having the same problems. I guess we kept them on for too long and they fused to our fingers. I should have known there would be some glitches considering I designed them in less than five days. We'll just have to go without our powers until we get back home."

Rachel cursed, feeling her stomach turn in anxiety. She was suddenly thankful for all the training regiments Robin had forced them to do without their abilities.

"Have you found anything?" she asked, feeling defeated.

Vic looked at something in front of him, and there was a large crash. "Nice one, Kory!" he called. He glanced back at the communicator. "I think we've got a lead. Lucky for us, Kory and I can still use our strength without malfunctioning the rings."

"So that just leaves us completely screwed then?" Gar piped in, annoyed.

"I guess in hindsight it wasn't the best idea to split up," Cyborg admitted uneasily. "As soon as Kory and I follow this lead, we'll regroup and go from there. Just…lay low until then."

The line disconnected.

"Well that's just great," Gar muttered sarcastically, another mannerism he had picked up from Rachel.

"There's no use complaining about it now. Come on, we've got a long walk ahead of us."

By the time they arrived at Jump City Hall, it was nearly dinnertime. They couldn't pass through security due to the foreign technology on their fingers, so that meant it was time to clamber up a cramped air vent. Gar linked his hands together to give Rachel a boost, and then she turned around to pull him up once she was inside. Rachel led the way, occasionally peering through the vents, searching for something that might look like a file room.

She came to an abrupt halt when she thought she caught a glimpse of what she was searching for. The sudden motion surprised Gar, and the humanized changeling's face collided directly with her bottom.

It took all seven Hells for Rachel not to lose it.

"Uh, sorry," she heard Gar call from over her shoulder.

"Don't mention it," she told him. "Ever."

Rachel twisted her body around and kicked one of the vent screens with all her might. She was pleased when it came off its hinges and swung horizontally, giving them enough room to squeeze through. She quickly jumped down into the file room, Gar hot on her trail.

"We need to work quickly," she said. "Odds are someone's going to investigate the noise we made."

They split up, scanning the rows and rows of file cabinets. Once they located the row marked 'W' and then 'Wa,' they began to leaf through the files. Thankfully Garfield had located a set of keys in the back office once he had broken the locks with a utility wrench.

"Robin better thank us for this," he mumbled, once he had handed her the keys.

Rachel scrolled through the records, her eyes moving at light speed. Walt. Warner. _Wayne._ Alton Wayne. Bruce Wayne. Hector Wayne. Isaac Wayne.

"John Wayne, here it is," Rachel said breathlessly.

There was a loud pounding on the door across the room.

"Rae, hurry," Gar gasped, shaking her shoulder.

Rachel did her best to ignore him. She scanned the file until she memorized it and then placed it back in the drawer. Gar grabbed her hand and they ran toward the vent they had dropped down from. The sounds of the door being opened echoed, and multiple people entered the room.

"Spread out," a voice ordered, and footsteps echoed like gunshots.

Gar stood on a nearby office chair and jumped, clutching on to the edge of the vent. He lifted himself up and then turned around for Rachel. She gripped his forearm and the two grunted as she was heaved into the opening. Gar apparently put a little too much gusto into the tug, for the force of his pull caused her head to smack painfully against his shoulder as she fell forwards.

They froze at the sounds of voices directly below them. She hoped to Azar none of the security guards looked up and noticed one of the vent's screens was slightly askew. The two Titans waited for what seemed like hours until the guards finally finished looking around. They documented the broken office locks and, seemingly with nothing else to do, they left.

Rachel and Gar both let out a sigh of relief at the same time. It was only then they fully realized that the position they were currently it could be considered compromising. The blush on Gar's face was prominent; evidently it was harder to hide when his skin was peach rather than green. Rachel cleared her throat, as she scuffled away from him, attempting to pass off the situation as a professional mishap.

Once they were no longer touching, she turned around so they could speak face to face.

"Find anything?" Gar asked in a loud whisper.

"27 Pacific Road."

"Huh?"

"That's what's listed under John Wayne's address."

Garfield tried to right himself, accidently brushing Rachel's nose in the process. "Let's check it out then," he said, grinning.

~0~0~0~

Dusk had already fallen by the time they made it to 27 Pacific Road. Victor and Kory hadn't called, so Rachel assumed they were still investigating their lead. Rachel and Gar glanced up at the massive stone building in front of them, taking up the space where John Wayne 'lived.'

"The public library?" Gar whined. "I thought it was gonna be something cool!"

Rachel rolled her eyes. Leave it to him to not be able to recognize the address of the city's largest resource for books. To be technical, 27 Pacific was the small abandoned shop _next_ to the library, but that was only because Robin must not have wanted to list a public location on his fake identity record.

"Let's go," she told him. "John must have left something for us here."

Library hours were about to end, so they had limited time. Similarly to how they found John Wayne's file, the teens split up to locate an author by the same name. As Rachel found the isle she was looking for, she scanned the bindings of books on the shelves, wondering what Robin could have left for them.

"Hey, you go to Murakami?"

Rachel turned around to face a tall raven-haired boy wearing a similar uniform as her own. Apparently Sarah had also gone to Murakami. Observing the student in front of her, she suspected this boy would be the type to play football in high school.

She looked down at her uniform. "Uh, yeah."

"Haven't seen you around," he commented, smiling.

"I, uh, just moved here."

The boy leaned against the shelves. "Cool. This is the best place in town to study…or to procrastinate studying anyway."

She gave him a small smile.

"If you want I could show you around sometime."

Her smile faded. Azar, being undercover was stressful. "Actually, I-"

She felt an arm encircle her waist. She turned to the side to see Gar standing there, frowning at the boy.

"Actually, she's with me," Gar told him. Rachel felt a blush of outrage bloom on her cheeks.

The boy's expression turned into one of discomfort and slight annoyance. "Oh. Uh, sorry, Man," he said to Gar, and then walked away.

Once he was gone Rachel spun on her heel, breaking Gar's hold on her. "What's your problem?"

Garfield frowned. "I thought you would be saying thank you."

"I'm not your responsibility," she snapped back, her attention returning to the books in front of her. She thought she caught a look of his remorse, but she had more important things to worry about. Evidently he wasn't getting the message.

"Look, Rae…about that night at the restaurant…"

Rachel's eyes widened. She had thought he wasn't going to mention her confession. She panicked, realizing she wasn't prepared in the slightest to discuss it. _Please don't bring it up; please don't bring it up._

"I just thought we should like, talk about it or something."

"We're in the middle of a mission, Gar. It'll have to wait," she said lamely, not looking at him. She didn't miss his crestfallen expression.

Her fingers ran over the books, occasionally pulling one of them out and flipping through the pages. When she picked up the sixth book, she found a key inside. She picked the small metal object up, turning it over in her palm.

It was haphazardly marked with an 'R' in permanent marker.

"We need to call the others," Rachel said abruptly.

When they were outside the library, Rachel tried to get into contact with Victor, but there was no response. Garfield tried next but also couldn't get ahold of him. Rachel attempted to ring into Kory's communicator, but the result was the same.

"Something's wrong," Rachel spoke, panic dripping from her voice.

Garfield appeared to be just as worried. "Maybe if-"

His communicator rang and he picked up at once. Kory was on the other line, and she appeared to be rather disheveled.

"Friends!" she gasped, "They have taken Robin and Cyborg. You must hurry!"

Rachel's heart dropped like a stone. If Kory hadn't even bothered to remember using their aliases, she knew the danger must be upon them.

"Where are you, Kory?"

The transmission became fuzzy. "I...them….hurry…plant…beast…please-"

The line went dead. Rachel eyed Garfield hopelessly. She was at a complete loss.

"I could be wrong…" Garfield said slowly, "but I think she was talking about the animal testing lab where we fought Adonis that one time."

Rachel's face lit up. "Gar…you're a genius!"

He seemed pretty pleased at her compliment, but his expression quickly faded into a frown. "How are we gonna get to the other side of town without our powers?"

The two looked around until their eyes both landed on the moped across the street. Rachel's mouth quirked into a smile.

"Time to see if Driver's Ed is paying off," she said, grabbing him by the forearm.

~0~0~0~

Rachel clung onto Garfield as he revved up the moped and raced down the street. She felt a little foolish riding on such a dinky scooter, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She honestly didn't know how Starfire rode on the R-Cycle with Robin while wearing that tiny skirt of hers; she prayed her school uniform didn't flip open and flash all of Jump City.

The teens arrived at the testing lab and burst through the doors. They heard noises down the hallway, so they began to move cautiously. After a few minutes, they heard thunderous footsteps approaching them from either direction. Gar's eyes became wide with panic, and Rachel mirrored his expression. There were too many footsteps for them to belong to their friends, and without their powers, they were virtually defenseless.

"Gar, what are we going to do?" Rachel whispered anxiously to her teammate.

"I…I don't know," he answered, his voice filled with dread. As swarms of goons came barreling down both hallways, Gar stepped closer to Rachel. The two pressed against the wall, trapped in the middle.

It turned out they didn't even need to defend themselves, for Kory dropped down in front of them from the vent above. She ran at the goons, taking them out with surprising speed and dexterity.

Although she still had her alien strength while wearing the ring, Rachel had to admire the girl's battle technique. She rarely saw Starfire fight in close combat, but she was impressed by the girl's capability. She hadn't known she could fight like that.

When all of the goons were subdued, Kory raised her fists again as another pair of footsteps hammered near them from the left. Victor emerged a few moments later, holding a wooden plank. The other teens relaxed their postures when they saw him.

Victor surveyed the fallen goons around them "Dang! I was just gonna hit them with this plank, but you got it girl!" he said, gesturing to Kory.

"How did you learn to fight like that, Star?" Gar asked, momentarily forgetting their code names.

"On my planet, Tamaranean royalty are sent to train under the Warlords of Okaara," she explained. "I am so used to relying on my starbolts I have not had much opportunity to display what I know in close combat."

"Alright, new plan," Vic said half-jokingly. "Anytime there's trouble let's just get behind Kory."

A male scream sounded from down the hall, causing all four of their heads to snap in the direction.

"Robin!" Kory cried, running towards the noise.

Rachel, Garfield and Victor raced behind her, and the four teens erupted into the laboratory at the same time.

On the other side of the room Robin's…or John's arms were chained to the wall with some sort of titanium binding. There was a table in front of him containing all sorts of tools and beakers filled with strange toxic liquids.

Rachel instantly spotted Professor Chang, who was putting on new gloves in preparation for his experiments.

 _He's going to test him like a lab rat,_ Rachel thought with disgust.

Professor Chang's head snapped up at their entrance. "Ugh, more intruders," he said disapprovingly. "Where is the little green boy? I wanted to test him next."

Dozens more of Chang's goons surrounded them, blocking Rachel's view of John. Kory immediately engaged the goons, Victor right behind her.

"How are we going to help without our powers?" Garfield whispered to her urgently.

Rachel was wondering that herself. "You're better at hand to hand combat than I am. Go help Kory and Victor, I'll take on Chang."

Garfield nodded, reaching over to give her hand a squeeze before bolting off in his friends' direction. Rachel took a deep breath, hoping their training regiments had prepared her enough for this.

She broke off a wooden plank from one of the boxes and ran towards Chang. She smacked the old geezer in the back, causing him to drop the vial that was headed straight for John. Chang cried out and whipped around, attempting to snatch the makeshift weapon away from her.

 _Come on Raven, he's an old man for Azar's sake._

With a cry, Rachel kicked him in the shins and whacked him on the head with the plank. The crazy scientist fell down hard, moaning.

"How do I get you out?" Rachel asked, turning to her friend.

"There's a remote at the end of the table," John instructed.

Rachel found it in little to no time, and released him at once. He rubbed his irritated wrists, and looked at her gratefully.

"We have to help the others," John told her, already running towards the action.

Following John's lead, Rachel- _Oh what's the point, our cover's just as good as blown anyway-_ or Raven rather, gripped her plank tightly and sprinted over to assist the other Titans.

Robin, of course, wasn't hindered in the slightest. He took out most of the goons, with Starfire's body count coming in second. Cyborg followed after that, and Beast Boy surprisingly was able to take out a couple on his own. Raven was still pretty pleased she had subdued Chang, but she got one more goon for bonus points.

The key Robin had left for them unlocked some of the more dangerous toxins Chang had planned to test on animals and people for his own experiments, hoping to find a combination that would make a profit. All of the evidence was turned over to the Jump City Police. Raven was glad she was able to speak to the officers, so she and Beast Boy could explain their little break in to City Hall.

After they had returned to the Tower, and the rings were- _finally_ -safely removed, Robin explained to them the details of his mission. He had been tracking Chang, posing as an interested investor. He had almost tricked the scientist, but Chang had caught on to Robin's identity when the hero seemed to know a little _too_ much about Xenothium. Robin had attempted to escape Chang's goons and only had time to slip the key into a safe place before he was kidnapped a half hour later.

As for the rings, Cyborg seemed to think they could still get some use out of them, so he confiscated the accessories for testing. When everyone had gone to bed, Raven decided to linger in ops for a bit so she could meditate under the moonlight.

"I'm kind of bummed we won't get to go undercover again for a while," Beast Boy mentioned, coming to stand beside her.

Raven turned her head; slightly surprised he hadn't left yet. "Oh?"

Beast Boy sat crisscrossed next to her, and Raven gently levitated back to the ground.

"I don't know," he said, scratching his head. "I just kinda liked the idea of being able to…to look like _me_ , ya know?"

Raven stared at him for a moment, and then one of her rare affectionate smiles adorned her face. He always seemed to be good at making them appear. Without hesitation, -a first for her-she reached over and clasped his hand.

"You _do_ look like you," she said softly. "And…I like you this way."

Beast Boy gave her a dopey grin and squeezed her hand back. "I had fun hanging with you on Valentine's Day by the way."

Raven paused, then replied "Me too."

She half-expected him to press her on her confession, but was stunned once more when he didn't try to. Instead, the two sat hand in hand in a peaceful silence as the moon rose higher in the night sky.

She hoped he wouldn't be the first one to let go.


	9. Tamaran

**Author's Note** : _I just reread some of my old Fanfics from years ago. I have to say I'm still impressed with the plots and character portrayals in my stories, (humble brag) but dear God, my grammar was atrocious. Granted, I was in my early teens at the time, and now I'm in my twenties, but it was yikes. I wish there was a way you could easily edit and resubmit already published chapters in a story, if there is an easy way to do this someone please tell me. Even today grammar is my worst nightmare despite my own revisions, (as I'm sure TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne can tell you). If you ever see mistakes in my writing and it becomes distracting, shoot me a review! Don't be afraid to be like "Excuse me you fool, those independent clauses should be connected with a semicolon!"_

 _In other news, in this chapter I use a Tamaranean character from the comics, and make a few changes to him in order to fit with this chapter. I hope you enjoy._

~0~0~0~

Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg were in ops eating breakfast, making herbal tea, and overall just completing their usual morning tasks. The weather was beautiful, and the Tower was peaceful.

That was, until a large crash outside the room caused all three Titans to jolt. They turned their attention in the direction of the hallway, wondering what could possibly be making such a ruckus at ten in the morning. Two muffled voices, one male the other female, rose in volume and became strained with unbridled frustration.

"That sounds like…" Beast Boy started.

"Robin and Starfire," Raven finished.

"It sounds like they're fighting."

"But those two _never_ fight," Cyborg said, scratching the back of his head.

At that moment Robin burst into ops with a duffle bag swung over his shoulder.

"Pack your bags," he told the rest of his team tersely. "We're going to Tamaran."

The ride in the T-Ship was uncomfortably silent to say the least. Robin wasn't giving orders, Starfire wasn't being optimistic, and the rest of the team didn't know what the Hell was going on. Raven, always the one to finally cut through the bullshit, spoke up first.

"So…is anyone going to tell us why we're going to Tamaran?"

She heard Starfire sigh. "There have been…uprisings under Galfore's leadership as Grand Ruler," she explained.

"But I thought everyone was cool with it when you gave him the crown," Cyborg commented.

Raven heard a light tapping being picked up from Starfire's headset, and she assumed the girl was tapping her index fingers together, as was her nervous habit.

"There are some who still believe I am the rightful ruler of Tamaran. I must journey there to make things right."

"That's debatable," Robin muttered.

Starfire let out a strong "Hmmph!"

Beast Boy made a noise of discomfort. "Ughhh, I hate it when Mom and Dad fight."

By the time the T-Ship had landed on Starfire's home planet, no more than ten additional sentences had been spoken between the Titans. Starfire led them up to the palace where Galfore resided. The heroes quickly became the talk of the area amongst the Tamaranean civilians. It wasn't often Tamaran was visited by such unique strangers.

"I wish to speak to the Grand Ruler," Starfire told the guards at the doors of the throne room.

One of the guards knelt before her, but the other remained standing. Raven watched curiously. Starfire was right; it really did seem like her people were divided when it came to their ruler.

Ultimately the Titans were allowed in, and Starfire greeted Galfore in their routine tickling match before things became more serious. As before, they interacted in English for the benefit of her friends.

"Truly Galfore, how bad is it?" she asked, the worry audible in her tone.

Galfore sighed. "It has not been easy, my little _bumgorf._ There are those who are not so willing to follow my lead when there is still a member of the royal family fit to rule."

Starfire looked at him solemnly. "I am sorry for the trouble I have indirectly caused you, _K'Norfka."_

"That is not all," Galfore said. "There is someone-"

"Princess Koriand'r, you have returned," a voice said in English. The Titans turned to see a Tamaranean man with broad shoulders. His hair fell long down his back, but was tied at the end. He was tall, probably taller than Cyborg. His eyes glinted with warmth, but his smile was slightly cocky.

"Prince Karras," Starfire said with surprise as he bowed to her. "I did not realize you would be here."

Raven watched the anxiety physically take hold of Robin. She could tell he was sizing up this Karras fellow like nobody's business.

"I heard whispers of your return and would have travelled to the ends of our planet to see a member of the royal family."

 _Subtle,_ Raven thought. He was definitely a royal family supporter. She wasn't getting a good vibe from this guy, and apparently neither was Robin, for he took hold of his girlfriend's hand then.

"I have come here today, seeking victory and a bride," Karras continued, narrowing his eyes at Starfire and Robin's joined hands. "With the witness of the Grand Ruler, I challenge this offworlder you have partnered with to a duel for your hand."

"Aaaaand kissing up to the royal family suddenly makes sense," Beast Boy murmured in her ear.

Karras turned to Robin. "Surely this Earthling cares for you so little he will not even accept my challenge."

Robin stepped forward, enraged. "Don't you dare speak for me."

"Robin, wait-" Starfire warned, but he cut her off.

"I accept your challenge."

Starfire looked like she was ready to pull out her hair. Galfore heaved a heavy sigh.

"By the power vested in me as Grand Ruler, Prince Karras and the Earthling Robin shall duel for the hand of Princess Koriand'r tomorrow at sunset," he finished gruffly.

Another Tamaranean man stepped forwards from the crowd of observers that had formed. He was tall, like Karras, but he was clearly more muscular. He reminded Raven of one of those body builders who just didn't know when to quit.

"I too am seeking a bride," the man spoke.

Galfore straightened his shoulders. "Taknor, you know only Tamaranean royalty can duel for the honor to marry the Princess."

Taknor shook his head. "You misunderstand me, Grand Ruler. I do not wish to duel for the hand of the Princess, rather for the enchanting offworlder she has brought with her."

All eyes turned to Raven. She opened her mouth in shock, not knowing what to say. It turns out she didn't have to.

" _Noooo!_ "

Everyone's gaze shifted to Beast Boy. The changeling was caught with one pointer finger up, the gesture indicating he was mid-protest. As all eyes fell on him, however, his face blanched and his lips deflated.

Taknor smirked. "It seems I have a challenger."

Beast Boy's eyes widened. "What? No! I was just-"

"You must let this green _clorbag_ fight me, Grand Ruler. Unless he is too _rutha_ to do so."

Beast Boy clasped his hands in front of him. "You're right! Look at me, I'm _rutha._ I am _so rutha!_ " he pleaded.

"My hero," Raven deadpanned.

"Very well, Taknor. You and this green friend of Koriand'r shall also duel tomorrow at sundown for the hand of the Azarathian," Galfore decided. "Now if you excuse me, I must attend to other matters reserved for the Grand Ruler. Koriand'r, you and your friends are to stay in the rooms you and your siblings once shared. Surely you remember how to get to them?"

Starfire nodded stiffly. Galfore placed a hand on her shoulder, and then turned to exit the throne room. Karras passed by the Titans on his way out.

"I look forward to our duel, Earthling," Karras said, smiling at Robin confidently.

"And I cannot wait to claim the hand of the mysterious offworlder," Taknor added, eyeing Raven with desire. The two Tamaraneans left just as quickly as they had come.

Beast Boy groaned. " _Dudes,_ that guy is gonna kill me!" His hands pulled at his hair in distress.

Cyborg patted him on the back. "Don't sweat it BB, I'm sure you can take him. Time to show him the big, bad beast you are."

Robin came over to Beast Boy's side. "We can do this, Beast Boy. We have to, for the girls. Besides we have until tomorrow evening to figure out their weaknesses. How bad can it be?" He paused as the looming shadow of a figure past over them.

Robin turned to glace at Starfire and then shrank back under her gaze. Raven couldn't blame him. She looked absolutely furious. Her eyes glowed green, her shoulders were hunched, and it almost appeared as though the tips of her hair were on fire. She snatched the Boy Wonder's earlobe and dragged him away, angrily shouting in her native language. The other Titans helplessly followed them, for Starfire was the only one who knew where they would be staying.

When they arrived to the rooms, Raven had to say she was impressed. Then again, what did she expect the rooms of the royal children to look like? There were two bedrooms and a common room. The latter opened up to reveal a stone balcony, which gave way to a marvelous view of the city below.

Robin did not have a chance to enjoy the splendor of their living space, for Starfire dragged him into one of the bedrooms, apparently to give him an earful. Beast Boy and Cyborg dropped their stuff in the other bedroom, the boys' room, and then joined Raven in the common room. Raven couldn't very well barge in on Robin and Starfire mid-argument, so she just rested her bag by one of the….couches?...until they were done.

It seemed as though Cyborg was through with being kept in the dark, however, for he pressed his cybernetic ear up against the door.

"What are they saying?" Beast Boy asked eagerly. Raven shook her head disapprovingly.

Cyborg grunted in frustration. "I can't really tell. These doors are made up of some weird material that my technology is having trouble penetrating. All I can hear is Star saying Rob doesn't understand their customs, and then _he_ said something about renouncing Tamaran."

"Renouncing Tamaran?" Raven questioned, despite herself.

Cyborg nodded, backing away from the door. "I can't be sure, but I think he's trying to get her to renounce Tamaran, and she doesn't want to."

"That jerk!" Beast Boy said with fire, and then paused. "Uh, what exactly does that mean?"

"It means she'd have to give up being a Tamaranean; the way of life, her royal heritage, everything. I'm not sure about the laws here, but from what I've seen so far they can be pretty brutal. I wouldn't be surprised if she was forced to leave forever," Cyborg mused.

"That…doesn't sound like Robin," Raven commented skeptically.

Cyborg shrugged. "That's all I was able to get." The cybernetic teen yawned. "I don't know about y'all, but I'm gonna try to figure out where the bed's at, and get some shut eye." With a nod of goodnight, he retreated into the boys' room.

With Robin and Starfire still arguing in the girls' room and with the sudden desire to be as far away from Beast Boy as possible, Raven opted to go to the balcony. She shut the doors behind her and rested her forearms on the ledge, gazing down at the city below.

She wasn't so shallow as to be flattered by Beast Boy's "offer" to duel for her hand. It was clear he hadn't meant to say anything at all, but his verbal diarrhea had gotten in the way once again. Raven would never disregard another planet's culture, but she did find it rather barbaric and sexist to duel for a female's hand. Then again, she wouldn't be surprised if Tamaranean women also challenged each other for a male's hand, as it seemed Starfire's people valued the ferocity of women in battle.

She was so lost in thought she almost didn't hear the balcony doors open and then shut behind her. She didn't turn around at first, still hoping she could lie to herself and say it was Cyborg or perhaps Starfire, but of course it was him.

It was always him.

"Uh, Starfire and Rob are both in their rooms if you wanted to move your stuff," Beast Boy said awkwardly. Raven could hear the shuffling of his feet.

She sighed and then turned her head. "I'll move it later."

She inwardly cursed when he came up by her left, mimicking her position against the stone railing. Raven was content with ignoring him for the time he planned to be out there with her, but he cleared his throat after a little while.

"Are you…mad at me?"

Raven sighed again, closing her eyes. When she opened them again, she saw Beast Boy staring at her anxiously. Her anger faded a little, but she was still miffed.

"You aren't responsible for me," she stated, aggravation creeping into her voice.

He looked surprised. "I know, but I couldn't just let that guy-"

"I could have handled it myself."

He frowned. "Well I'm not that pumped about it either, Rae! He's gonna kick my ass!"

Raven calmed down a little. She could see how frustrated he was; maybe it even matched her own feelings. She felt her heart begin to beat faster, and she shut her mouth before she said something absurd.

Beast Boy's shoulders slumped. "If I ask you something, can you promise you'll give me a straight answer?"

"No."

"Well I'm gonna ask anyway. Why does your heart always beat fast around me? Really."

 _As if you really don't know._ "Why did you speak up back in the throne room? Really," she countered.

"Because we're friends," he replied weakly.

Raven shook her head; her stomach sinking because she knew what she was about to do. "You're so stupid, Gar," she told him, and then placed her hands on either side of his face, pressing her lips to his.

She felt him stiffen for only a moment before immediately wrapping his arms around her. His lips were smooth, all except for the occasional poke of his bottom fang. One of her hands slipped to grasp the back of his head, tilting it up. The kiss was slow and lazy, and dear Azar it was intimate in ways she hadn't even imagined.

It was also unsure and awkward and so utterly Beast Boy. Raven didn't mind considering she wasn't exactly the authority on kissing to begin with. She felt the pad of his thumb brush her cheek right before she pulled away.

He was flushed and a little out of breath, but she was sure she looked the same. He stared at her with eyes the size of saucers as if he couldn't believe she was real.

"That was…" Raven trailed off, not exactly knowing what to say.

"…So _awesome_ ," he finished, grinning.

Raven allowed herself a small smile as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"So Valentine's Day weekend when you said…" Beast Boy trailed off. "Did you mean it?"

She paused, and then nodded, glancing off to the side shyly. "We should get to bed," she said, before he could respond. Judging by the way he had reciprocated her kiss, she thought he might feel similarly, but she didn't want to ruin the moment by potentially complicating things.

Beast Boy seemed disappointed, but he didn't argue. He did, however, try to lean in for a good night kiss. Raven politely backed away, staring at the ground.

"Um, I'm not sure if-" she began.

"It's okay," Beast Boy said shrugging, and she was grateful that he didn't push her.

They walked together into the common room. By now the other Titans were fast asleep. Raven paused before she entered her room.

"Don't worry about this duel," she said, surprising herself. "You'll be fine."

He smiled, his eyes glowing. "Thanks, Rae. See you tomorrow?"

"Duh."

He gave her one more smile before disappearing into his room. Raven collapsed into her bed a moment later. Her mind was racing. She would have liked to repeat her mantra to calm herself, but she didn't want to disturb Starfire who was in the bed next to her. She instead readied herself for bed and lulled into a calm sleep.

And then she woke up the next morning entirely flustered.

How was he going to act around her? How was _she_ going to act around _him?_ What if he _told_ someone? Azar, she had gotten what she had wanted without really thinking about the repercussions. This was so unlike her.

Then again the changeling had a knack for getting her to step out of her comfort zone.

When she finally began to complete her morning tasks, it occurred to her that Starfire had already left. Raven walked into the common room to find Cyborg frying up some bacon on his built-in grill. The cybernetic teen had clearly not been eager to try Tamaranean cuisine and instead had opted to pack his own food.

"Where is everyone?" Raven asked, sitting down on what she now figured _had_ to be the couch.

"Starfire went to talk to Galfore about something, and Robin and Beast Boy are using one of the palace's training areas to prepare for their duel," he answered, flipping a piece of a bacon.

Raven nodded. "Was Beast Boy acting weird this morning?" she asked cautiously.

Cyborg shrugged. "Not that I could tell. I'm probably gonna head down there in a bit to see how they're doing if you wanna join."

"Sure." _It's not like I have anything else to do._

~0~0~0~

The Tamaranean practice arena was impressive; Raven could at least admit that. The entire area was covered in light brown dirt. The titanium walls rose up in a U-formation so only a small oval of the morning sky was visible. There was an arsenal of various Tamaranean weapons that all looked extremely lethal, not to mention absurdly heavy. Beast Boy and Robin weren't using them though; rather they were sparring weaponless with each other. Raven sat in one of the closer stands to the two heroes. Cyborg scooted next to her and the duo watched their friends dodge the other's attacks.

Well at least one thing about this whole situation was good; it gave Beast Boy and Robin time to help each other. It wasn't really a secret that out of all of the Titans, those two bonded the least. They were known to have some of the more tense altercations when stressful situations arose, and that included when Cyborg quit the team.

Not only that, but the two had next to nothing in common, other than they had both been on a superhero team before the Titans. As Raven watched them, however, it became apparent that they were really working as a team, despite their posture saying otherwise. Every time Robin would knock Beast Boy down, he offered the boy a hand up and gave him some helpful pointers. When Beast Boy would shift into a different form, he would make sure to inform his leader about different attacks that could help subdue an opponent who was stealthier than him.

Beast Boy transformed from a gorilla back to his human form to continue blocking Robin's punches. The changeling's eyes briefly drifted over to the stands where he made eye contact with Raven. His mouth started to curve into a smile when Robin's left hook landed on his jaw.

Raven couldn't help it; she let out a tiny gasp when he fell to the ground. Robin immediately helped the changeling up, looking apologetic.

"Sorry, Beast Boy. I thought you had that one."

Beast Boy shook him off. "Nah, it's okay. That was my bad." Robin followed his gaze and smiled at his friends. The two males jogged over to where Raven and Cyborg were seated.

"Looking good out there," Cyborg nodded at his friends.

Robin wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Thanks. Think we might stand a chance?"

"You will not."

The four Titans turned to the entrance of the training arena to find Starfire walking over to them. _Walking, not flying_ , Raven observed. Starfire approached the Tamaranean weaponry and selected a large blade attached to a silver handle.

"You cannot win if you do not practice deflecting attacks from an opponent using this weaponry," she said, spinning the blade expertly. "You should practice." She threw the weapon at Robin who caught the handle in his hands. He tried not to show it, but Raven noticed his biceps strain at the weight of the weapon.

"Uh, thanks Star," he said a little unsurely.

She nodded at him stiffly. "Now, if you excuse me, I must continue my talks with the Grand Ruler. There is much to discuss if renouncing is to be our best option."

At her last sentence, Robin's face hardened, and he glanced away from her. Starfire nodded at her friends and then left the arena almost as quickly as she had come. Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg turned to Robin at the word "renounce." Raven had a frown on her face, and Cyborg and Beast Boy shook their heads disapprovingly.

Robin's head shot up when he noticed their expressions. "Now _you_ guys are mad at me?" The Boy Wonder growled something under his breath before walking to the center of the arena, the Tamaranean weapon still in his hands.

He called Beast Boy over a moment later, and the changeling glanced at Cyborg and Raven helplessly.

Cyborg grunted. "Better go with him, you gotta face that scary Tamaranean man when the sun sets."

Beast Boy's face paled. He gazed at Raven for a few moments, and she hoped he couldn't see the anxiety that she felt.

"I'll see you guys later, I guess." Beast Boy laughed nervously, and then bounded off to join Robin.

Raven hoped Starfire's tip was enough to prepare them in time.

~0~0~0~

All five Titans met in the throne room as the sun started to set. Robin and Beast Boy were dressed in traditional Tamareanean battle gear; similar to the uniform Starfire wore. Raven had to admit that despite the dire situation, Beast Boy really knew how to pull off purple.

Galfore sat on the throne, with Karras and Taknor to his left. As soon as everyone was in the room, royal guards marched forward, separating Starfire and Raven from the boys.

"Hey!" Robin called out at the same time Cyborg and Beast Boy yelled, "What gives?"

"It is tradition for warriors and the prizes they fight for be separated until after a winner is announced," Galfore instructed, rising from his throne.

"It will be alright, friends," Starfire called over to them as she and Raven were shuffled away.

Raven tried to catch a glimpse of Beast Boy, but the Tamaranean guards obscured her vision. She prayed to Azar everything would work out.

They led the two girls to a low balcony that allowed them to see the whole view of the arena. If Raven thought the practice arena was impressive, the sight before her blew her away. The space was at least twice as large as the one she had seen a few hours ago, and there were significantly more weapons to choose from.

As she and Starfire sat down on the seats provided for them, the latter let out a sigh and buried her face in her hands. Raven frowned.

"Is…everything okay? Aside from the obvious of course."

Starfire looked up at her friend. "I must do something that will be an incredibly painful burden to bear."

Raven felt a fire ignite in her chest. "I can't believe Robin is asking for something so selfish. You should know that Beast Boy, Cyborg and I are with you, Starfire."

Starfire blinked in surprise, and then a look of horror dawned her face. "Oh no, you misunderstand. Robin has not demanded this. It is I who wishes to renounce Tamaran."

Raven's mouth hung open. "But…you were arguing-"

"Robin is most upset with me because he does not wish for me to give such a thing up," Starfire explained. "He believes he is the reason I wish to do so, but he is mistaken. Although Robin is an important part in my life, the only way for my planet not to plunge into civil war is for me to give up life as a Tamaranean."

"With you out of the picture, your people would turn to the only one fit to rule," Raven concluded, finishing the puzzle.

"Yes, it is the only way for my _K'Norfka_ to be considered the rightful Grand Ruler."

"But what about this duel?" Raven argued. "If Karras wins, won't you be his bride?"

Starfire sighed. "This is also something I have tried to explain to Robin. Karras only wishes to wed me because I am a member of the royal family. If I renounce Tamaran, I will be considered a traitor, and will no longer be desirable."

"Then why are you letting Robin go through with it?"

"Robin wishes to prove himself and insists he can win the duel without my having to renounce Tamaran. Even now I can step in and end the challenge, but I am trying to refrain from doing so in order to honor his wishes."

 _Huh, I'll need to explain this to Cyborg and Beast Boy later._

Raven swallowed. "And…how legitimate is Beast Boy's duel with Taknor?"

Starfire met her eyes solemnly. "This, I cannot interfere with. Even if I were to renounce Tamaran, their battle does not concern me. Refusing the outcome of a duel would mean a death sentence for all involved, including offworlders."

Raven's hands started to shake. Why hadn't she been taking Beast Boy's fears more seriously? She felt Starfire's hand rest on her own.

"Do not worry, Friend," the redhead told her. "Beast Boy is an excellent fighter; even more so when you are concerned."

Raven tried not to blush, but she didn't have to worry about figuring out a reply. A loud crash rang out through the arena and those in the stadium seats screamed at the top of their lungs. Starfire's hand gripped hers more tightly.

"It begins," she whispered.

Sure enough, Raven could make out Taknor and Beast Boy on opposite ends of the arena. Taknor thundered over and selected a weapon similar to the one Starfire had wielded earlier in the day. Beast Boy went over to the Tamranean armory and tried lifting several of the weapons without success. He bent over, placing his hands over his knees and panting heavily with the effort of trying to raise the hulking metal objects. The audience watched awkwardly as the changeling emitted gasping noises, trying to catch his breath.

Beast Boy stood up suddenly with the expression of someone trying to convince others that he had it all together.

"I have decided… _not_ to choose a weapon," he said, trying to sound as authoritative as possible.

Even filled with anxiety, Raven couldn't help but shake her head at his antics.

Galfore rose from his own balcony across from the girls'. He clapped his mighty hands together, silencing any noise from the crowd.

"We gather here today to witness the duel between Taknor," he gestured to the large Tamaranean man, "and the Earthling, Beast Boy."

Raven could literally see his legs shaking.

"The duel shall commence when I give the Tamaranean battle cry of bravery," he continued. "It shall end only when one of the warriors shouts 'I yield.' The outcome of this duel will determine who shall claim the hand of the Azarathian woman, Raven. May each of you fight fiercely," he finished, and with a final nod to both of them, he bellowed.

Raven wanted to block her ears as everyone in the stadium, including Starfire, mimicked the cry. Raven leaned over the railing, her nails pressing into the stone. She saw Beast Boy searching for her, until their eyes locked. She didn't know what he saw in her eyes, but the fear in his turned into determination. When the cries diminished, the duel commenced.

Taknor gave a cry of his own and surged forward. Beast Boy morphed into a jaguar and charged, his muscles shifting threateningly as he attacked. He lunged for the larger man's throat, but Taknor blocked his offensive move and swung with his weapon, making painful contact with the changeling's right arm.

Beast Boy fell back, transforming back into a human. A rather significant slice appeared on his exposed green skin, not covered due to the Tamaranean attire. He clutched his arm, composing himself while Taknor laughed. A fierce expression crossed the green Titan's face and he transformed again, this time into a hawk. Taknor shot his eyebeams several times at the bird, trying to make a mark. One of the blasts singed Beast Boy's wing, and the bird cawed out in pain.

He quickly shifted into a hippo, attempting to crush his opponent. Taknor was unfazed, however, for he merely discarded his weapon and caught the changeling effortlessly. He launched the boy, still in his hippo form, into the metal siding of the arena.

Raven covered her mouth, too horrified to think straight. Beast Boy shifted back into his human form once more. Taknor approached him slowly.

"Give up Earthling," he taunted. "The Azarathian shall be mine to own."

Beast Boy spit blood in Taknor's direction. The hulking man must have been insulted, for he swung a massive fist towards Beast Boy's head. He shifted into a mouse just in time to miss the attack. He scurried undetected through Taknor's legs and reappeared on the other side.

 _Come on, Gar. Remember what Starfire said._

Maybe her will was enough to jerk Beast Boy out of his funk, for he adopted a different strategy. Coming at his opponent head on wouldn't work, considering how much stronger his opponent was. Beast Boy, on the other hand, had stealth to his advantage.

He launched a whirlwind of attacks, changing from a bee to a hummingbird and flying around the great man's head. Taknor swung his fists wildly and managed to clock himself in the face a few times.

Raven could tell the man was weakening, considering he had probably knocked himself more times than he could count. Just as it seemed Beast Boy finally had him, Taknor grabbed the boy in his massive fist mid transformation. Beast Boy reverted to his human form, pain wracking his features as he was crushed.

"Yield, little green one," Taknor ordered. "Do not make me kill you. Yield now. The Azarathian is mine."

"No," Beast Boy gritted out. He screamed as Taknor squeezed tighter.

 _"Stop!"_ Raven screamed, feeling her powers ripple the arena.

Beast Boy's eyes shot open at her voice, and he immediately transformed. Taknor released the changeling in surprise, taking a step back as the creature he formed into grew claws and foamed at the mouth. Raven gasped.

It was the Beast.

In a matter of moments, the battle was over. The Beast attacked Taknor, ripping through his armor and sinking his teeth and claws into the man's veins. Blood spurted from Taknor's body and he screamed in mercy.

"I yield, I yield!" he cried.

Galfore clapped his hands, signaling the end of the duel. The Beast sank back after a moment's hesitation, and gradually returned to the Beast Boy that Raven knew.

"Beast Boy is victorious," Galfore shouted, and the stadium went wild.

Tamaranean guards abruptly led the disoriented Titan and Taknor off the grounds and soon Karras and Robin took their places. Raven was grabbed roughly by the guards behind her and dragged away from the balcony. Starfire looked up in alarm.

"Starfire!"

The girl watched Raven as she was helplessly led away.

"Do what you know is right," Raven managed to get out before she was carted off.

~0~0~0~

Raven was shoved roughly into an expensively furnished chamber, and the door slammed shut behind her. She surveyed her surroundings, confused as to why she was taken here. She turned abruptly at the sound of a pained groan and realized she was not alone. Beast Boy sat propped up against what she thought was a bedpost, his battle armor torn and his injuries oozing blood.

She immediately dropped to her knees beside him, healing him at once. When she finished mending the worst of his wounds, she wrapped her arms around him. He squeezed back weakly.

"I was pretty awesome out there, huh?" he asked as she pulled away.

She could have swatted him for his casual demeanor, but she didn't. "You fought exceptionally well," she offered, and he beamed at her, despite how tired he looked.

"I hope Robin kicks that prince's ass," Beast Boy told her.

Raven sighed. "Somehow, I think everything will work out for the best. Trust me."

Beast Boy eyed her curiously, but she decided not to divulge what Starfire had discussed with her for the time being. She felt him press his forehead against hers after a moment.

"I wasn't gonna let him take you away," he muttered, before kissing her gently.

Raven allowed herself to respond to his touch for a moment before lightly pulling back when she heard the sound of footsteps. A few seconds later, the door burst open to reveal Robin, Starfire and Cyborg.

Robin appeared to be in even worse condition than Beast Boy had been. His eye was swollen, the right half of his head was soaked in blood, and one of his arms hung at a disturbing angle. Raven was at his side in an instant, healing his most severe injuries.

"Did you win?" Beast Boy asked from the floor.

Cyborg shook his head and then looked to Starfire. "Star intervened."

Raven paused in her healing to look at the princess. "Does that mean-"

"I have renounced Tamaran," Starfire finished, her strong expression finally cracking. "Please, we must leave immediately. We are not welcome here."

Once Raven had healed all of Robin's battle wounds, they made quick work of packing their things and leaving. Robin and Starfire embraced for a long, tender moment before getting into their respective T-Ship pods. Raven was glad her friends had made up with each other. When they had a moment, Raven let the other know what Starfire had told her. In addition, Cyborg explained to Raven and Beast Boy what had occurred in the arena after they had left.

Karras would have killed Robin. The Boy Wonder had refused to yield and it appeared as if the duel would have ended in a far more gruesome way if Starfire hadn't flown between them. Galfore had risen in outrage, but Starfire silenced him. She renounced Tamaran in front of thousands of witnesses. Karras no longer wanted anything to do with her, and all the attendees in the arena had bowed to Galfore, effectively cementing their allegiance to him. Galfore had stared at his adoptive daughter coldly as he told her she would never be allowed to return to Tamaran. This was to be the last time they saw each other. Galfore and Starfire had planned the whole exchange of course, but that didn't mean it was any less difficult to follow through with.

Starfire had given up a piece of her forever. Although Raven knew she considered Earth to be her real home, it must have been agonizing to know she could never return to the place she had once lived. What was worse was that she couldn't ever see her _K'Norfka_ again. Galfore had a planet to lead, and he couldn't be associated with a traitor. Starfire knew this was the only option. It was the only way she could continue to live the life she wanted, as well as save her beloved home planet from plunging into chaos.

The T-Ship ride home was silent, all except for the sound of Starfire's quiet sobs.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _I'm really proud of this chapter, even though it had a sad ending. It was incredibly fun to write. I always thought it was kind of a cop-out for Starfire to just hand the crown over to Galfore at the end of "Betrothed" and have all her people be okay with it, so I thought I would follow through with some repercussions. This was my longest chapter yet, and it was well worth it to write! The next chapter will have tons of romance and will delve into Beast Boy and Raven's secret awkward "sort-of" relationship, both physically and emotionally! Don't feel too bad for Star, she has amazing friends who will help her through this, as you will see coming up shortly! Stay tuned, and remember to review!_


	10. Navigation

**Author's Note:** _I've decided to step away from the action with this chapter and focus on the characters. There will be some mild mature content below._

~0~0~0~

He knew she would only allow him to kiss her in the dark.

Despite Raven's worries, Beast Boy hadn't talked to either Cyborg or Robin, and seemed just as willing to keep their trysts a secret. If one could even call them that.

Their romantic interactions were brief. They would run into each other in darkened hallways and meld their lips together for what felt like way too short of a time before they separated and continued on with their lives. They never touched in places as open as the roof or ops, and they also hadn't entered each other's rooms.

But those brief moments in the hallways were enough to make Raven's skin buzz, and she ached for more. One would think it would be easy for the two Titans to sneak off every now and then and go unnoticed, but it wasn't that simple.

Starfire was a wreck. It had taken a group effort just to give her the happiness to be able to lift off the ground again. Robin spent most of his time with her, even scrapping his training schedules for the next few months, which was an unprecedented move. The Boy Wonder also made sure he wasn't hogging her to himself. He was emotionally intelligent enough to know that Starfire needed her friends just as much as she needed her boyfriend.

So they each did their best.

Beast Boy ate all of her Tamaranean cooking, even if it made him sick afterwards. The repugnant cuisine was something little the girl could have that reminded her of Tamaran, so he ingested whatever she made without complaint. They would wash and groom Silkie together, considering they were the creature's adoptive parents. He would also curl up next to her on the couch as a cat, nuzzling against her when he knew she was in a somber mood.

Cyborg always took her with him when he went to work on the T-Ship. Starfire was extremely intelligent when it came to aerodynamics as well as space travel, so she and Cyborg would often spend hours remodeling the vehicle. When talking about space became too harsh of a memory, they bonded by engineering Cyborg's jet heels-a work in progress-but he knew she had fun flying around with him, even though she was a thousand times more graceful.

Raven helped to ease her emotions through meditation…and also the occasional shopping spree. Although she wanted to protest many times, she let Starfire buy all sorts of revealing outfits and make up for Raven, intent on having 'the girls' night' and giving each other makeovers. Even at her happiest during these times, however, Raven could sense her friend's sadness.

Robin was, of course, with her during the private moments. The moments she didn't allow the others to see. The moments where her throat would become hoarse from sobbing and snot would run down her nose, only to be washed away by an endless stream of tears. Raven did not doubt for a second that Robin would ever tire of taking care of her. After all, she had done the same for him all these years.

It felt great helping their friend heal, but it also unfortunately meant their lives were placed on hold. Cyborg hadn't had a date with Sarah for a couple of weeks, but the blonde had been more than understanding. As for Raven, she desperately needed a new book, and Beast Boy hadn't picked up a game controller in ages.

Of course this needed to change soon. Starfire would be mortified if she realized the disruption she was causing, no matter how unobtrusive it was. That was why Cyborg had planned a getaway weekend with his girlfriend, and Beast Boy and Raven had made a promise to also get out of the Tower for the day around the same time.

Raven exited her room late one evening, deciding to head to ops and pick up the book she had just finished on the coffee table. Who knows? Perhaps the author had written other novels she could soon purchase at the bookstore.

No sooner had she sat on the ops couch did she feel a presence behind her. She sighed, knowing exactly who it was and also trying to ignore the excited flip in her stomach.

"Thought I heard you come in here," Beast Boy said, plopping on the couch beside her.

Raven looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "I didn't hear you come in."

Beast Boy blushed. "Well I kinda landed as a fly on your shoulder."

"That's creepy."

"Not as creepy as you," he said, winking.

Raven rolled her eyes and leaned forward, picking her book off the coffee table. Beast Boy placed his hand gently over hers and she dropped the book. She drew back to regard him.

"What are you up to?" she asked suspiciously.

Beast Boy shifted closer to her, still holding her hand. He leaned in, so his breath tickled her cheek. "I dunno. I just thought maybe we could-"

"No, Beast Boy," she said sternly, pushing him away. "Not here."

"Oh come on!" he complained. "I've barely gotten to kiss you the past two weeks. It's not fair!"

"Who said you were entitled to kiss me?"

Beast Boy frowned. "I thought you wanted to."

Raven sighed. "It's not a matter of if I want to or not. It's a matter of if we will be seen."

"Why does it matter so much? They'd be happy for us."

"Happy about what? Quick make outs on the couch?"

"Well, we haven't made out on the couch yet."

Raven groaned in frustration and then pulled Beast Boy to her. The changeling eagerly complied, tangling his fingers in her hair. He used far less tongue this time after Raven had politely suggested it. He made small noises that fueled the flames deep in her belly. Her hands ran up his sides as he pulled her close to him. He leaned forward and she accidently fell back onto the couch with a gasp. His mouth connected with hers again almost immediately, and their tongues slid against each other.

Beast Boy broke from her mouth and kissed down her neck and along her jaw. His lips touched the place where her ear met her jawbone and she shivered.

"It's not that I'm not having a ton of fun," he whispered, "but I really wanna take you on a date soon."

Raven frowned and gently pushed him off of her. She sat up and straightened her clothing before regarding him seriously.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

It was Beast Boy's turn to frown. "Why not? I thought you liked me. This…this isn't just a…physical thing, is it?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Raven snapped, and then calmed down. "It's too soon, Beast Boy. I don't want people knowing what this is when _we_ don't even know what this is."

"But how will we know if we don't go on dates?"

Wow, he actually had a point. When did he get so clever?

"I've never been on a date," she admitted, the real cause of her anxiety coming out.

Beast Boy leaned back grinning. "It's awesome! You get to hang out and do all the stuff you would as friends, plus all the kissing stuff."

Raven cocked an eyebrow.

"I didn't kiss Terra though," Beast Boy reminded her hastily.

"I wasn't trying to pry that out of you."

"Oh."

Raven let out a breath. "I don't like a lot of the things you like, Beast Boy. I don't think you would have fun with me."

Beast Boy furrowed his eyebrows. "What are you taking about? I have tons of fun with you. I'm always trying to get you to do stuff with me."

"Things I don't like to do."

Beast Boy drew back, hurt and annoyance gracing his features. "Look, I like you, so if you don't want to go on a date with me than just say that, but don't make up all these excuses for it."

Raven suddenly felt guilty. "I never said I didn't want to," she murmured.

He perked up. "So is that a yes?"

Raven paused, praying to Azar she didn't find a way to mess this up. "Okay. One date. We'll see how it goes."

"Sweet!" Beast Boy cheered, grinning from ear to ear. "Night, Rae!" he said, kissing her on the cheek and then exiting the room for the evening.

Raven sat on the couch, her heart still pounding. What did she just get herself into?

~0~0~0~

Raven wasn't normally confused, but when it came to Beast Boy she was clueless. She knew if she was going to navigate whatever this 'thing' with him was, she was going to need some help.

The empath knocked softly on Starfire's door, hoping she wasn't catching her at a bad time. The door slid open relatively slowly, and the girl behind it sniffled.

"Oh. I can come back later," Raven said awkwardly, never being the best to cheer up a crying Starfire.

To her surprise, the alien shook her head. "What do you require, Friend Raven?"

Raven exhaled. Oh how the mighty had fallen. "I was wondering if you would be ok with some…girl talk?"

Any trace of sadness evaporated from Starfire's expression. Her eyes glowed bright and she lifted off the ground in unexpected joy. Raven had to admit that sacrificing her pride was well worth it if it made one of her closest friends feel better.

"Oh yes! Please do come in!" Starfire led Raven onto her bed and sat in front of her, crossing her legs. The redhead bobbed up and down in anticipation. "What is it you wish to discuss?"

"Um, a couple of things. Just…do me a favor and don't ask what this is about, okay?"

Starfire nodded, not seeming put off by the request. Raven supposed she was just thrilled that she wanted to have girl talk in the first place. Raven swallowed.

"What was your first date with Robin like?"

Starfire cocked her head to the side. "Do you mean emotionally? Or perhaps you are inquiring as to what activities we partook in?"

"Both, I guess," Raven said, scratched behind her neck.

The taller girl thought for a moment, tapping her finger to her chin. "I was most excited for the date. I had been waiting so long for such an occasion so I was most joyful…but I was also terrified."

"Oh?"

Starfired nodded, smiling a little. "It is truly a terrifying thing to have one's feelings exposed. I did not wish to make the wrong step, yes?" She looked to Raven to make sure she had said the expression properly. The empath nodded, urging her to continue. "As for the date itself, we went to the boardwalk and sat on the wheel of Ferris once more. We also ate the cotton candy! It was rather fitting, seeing as some of my first Earthen memories began there with him."

Starfire stared ahead dreamily, picturing a memory Raven couldn't see. The smaller girl cleared her throat and Starfire snapped back to reality, blushing a little.

"Does this help you, Friend?"

"I think so."

"Glorious!" Starfire beamed. "What else may I assist you with?"

Raven stared down at her hands, having half a mind to just bolt from the room instead of continuing. "Uh, I had more of…a personal matter to discuss."

"I will do the best I can to answer what troubles you."

"It's about the…physical aspects of a relationship."

"Ah, you are referring to physical intimacy and the nature of sexual intercourse?"

Raven's face turned beet red. "Well that's one way to put it."

Starfire smiled. "It is a most beautiful and satisfying journey to take with a partner. You discover what the other likes the best, and in turn you also can find what pleases you the most."

"How did you know you were ready?"

"For sexual intercourse? It is a feeling that comes to you gradually. There is not a single moment where I can recall abruptly urging for it. There are other significant things worth being excited for as well. For example, I thoroughly enjoy when Robin-"

Raven cringed. "Maybe we shouldn't talk about that stuff in relation to Robin."

Starfire giggled. "Very well. I thoroughly enjoy the idea that humans pleasure each other with their mouths. Orally, yes? There is not such a thing on Tamaran."

Even though Raven thought she might curl up and die from the topic at hand, she did have to recognize this was the first time Starfire had talked about Tamaran without getting upset.

"Something else I find that is quite the thrill is the surprise sex."

"Huh?" Raven asked unintelligently, her eyes bulging out of her head.

"I have noticed males on Earth are most enamored with the female body. They enjoy the _grabnacks,_ which are not normally considered an erogenous zone for Tamaraneans. Sometimes I play the games to get the reaction." Starfire looked at her cheekily.

"What kind of games?" Raven couldn't help but ask.

"Well…sometimes I will walk into Robin's room when he is working on the mission at his desk. I will wear nothing but a towel of the bathing, and when he finally does the turning around, I release it."

Raven covered her mouth, whether in surprise or amusement she couldn't really tell. Although it was certainly disturbing to picture her friends in any sort of compromising position, she had to admit the look on the Boy Wonder's face had to have been gold.

"I do not mean to pry, but you wish to try some of these things, yes?"

Raven jolted. "Starfire," she warned.

"My apologies, I will not ask," the girl said, clasping her hands together to show her promise.

Raven sighed after a moment, resting her chin on her hand. "I wouldn't even know where to begin."

"It most certainly helps if you are able to show your partner what you like."

"I have no idea what I like."

"Then you must learn," Starfire prompted. "Self-love is important, Raven, for self-esteem and also for the knowledge on your preferences."

Raven decided she had just about enough girl talk for one afternoon. "Thanks Starfire, you've really helped." She actually had, but that didn't mean Raven exited the room any less urgently.

~0~0~0~

Raven and Beast Boy had never actually planned when they were going on their date, funny enough. The decision on both their parts just seemed to hang there, waiting to be acted on when the time was right.

Azar must have been trying to send her a sign, however, for when Cyborg left for his weekend with Sarah, Robin announced he and Starfire were leaving for Gotham that day, and would return around noontime the next morning.

She would be alone with Beast Boy for approximately twenty-seven hours. The changeling seemed to have something similar on his mind, for his eyes snapped to Raven as soon as Robin told them the news. When Robin and Star left to pack, Beast Boy held her by the forearm so she couldn't flee ops.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked her, waggling his eyebrows.

Raven rolled her eyes. "Don't make me send you to another dimension."

Beast Boy pouted playfully. "Don't be a stinker, Rae! We're gonna have the night to ourselves. I'm thinking we go on that date and then come back here and-"

"I actually dare you to finish that sentence."

It was Beast Boy's turn to roll his eyes, but he wasn't giving up so easily. "What do ya say?"

Raven glanced unsurely at the ops door. It _did_ seem like the perfect opportunity, but inside she was panicking. She had no idea how to prepare for this kind of thing. She didn't know what to do, or say, or, Azar help her, what to _wear._

Nonetheless, she heard herself say, "Sure," before she had really processed anything.

Raven got into the shower in preparation for her date. With Beast Boy. Wow, would this ever _not_ be weird?

She had already said her goodbyes to Robin and Starfire, and the couple was preparing to leave at any minute. Raven thought now would be as good a time as ever to cleanse herself, and maybe even take Starfire's words of advice.

It's not that she had never been curious before. She had recently turned seventeen for crying out loud; she was bound to try _something_ on her own at this point.

That didn't mean she was ever successful though.

It wasn't her fault. It's not like the female body was easy to navigate. There were all these pressure points and folds and places that even she herself didn't know the purpose of. It was confusing and, to be honest, embarrassing, even if she was by herself.

Her date was Beast Boy was in three hours. She needed to relax.

Raven sighed feeling the warm water run down her body, soaking her hair and skin. She tried to remember a time when she had just stood here in the shower, without the intent to just cleanse herself. She looked down at her herself, wondering if Starfire's compliments about her body were true.

She studied her form thoroughly, trying to imagine what it could be like to be as confident as her friend. It's not that she spent a great deal of time thinking about Starfire and Robin's sex life-Azar knows the girl told her enough about it in the first place-but she doubted the alien had ever felt truly insecure while standing naked in front of her boyfriend. Raven wondered if she could ever stand in front of somebody looking the way she was now.

She gulped heavily as a flash of green skin entered her mind. She covered her face in mortification. Had she really just imagined him in the shower with her? And had she really even minded? Raven shook her head to clear it. Maybe a trip to Nevermore was in order soon.

Raven sighed, knowing Starfire did have a point to this whole "self-love" thing. _Oh, well. I guess now is as good a time as any._

After her shower, and after the blush on her cheeks had subsided, she dressed in her usual uniform, deciding it was something she knew she would be comfortable in. She met Beast Boy on the roof of the Tower a few hours later, thankful he had decided to keep his uniform on as well. She tried not to blush when she saw him, the fantasies of him in the shower still on her mind.

"Ready to go?" he asked, oblivious to her thoughts.

She paused. "Go where exactly?" They had never discussed a location.

He grinned. "You'll see." He transformed into a hawk and flew away from the Tower.

Raven followed him, dread settling in her stomach. He probably planned to take her where there would be lots of eyes. There would probably be loud music, and unhealthy food and…

A quiet lakeside?

The two Titans landed on the edge of a forest, right where the ground met the water. Beast Boy transformed back into a human and looked at her, waggling his eyebrows.

"Pretty sweet, huh? And that's not even the best part," he bragged, switching into a bloodhound and locating a specific tree. He came back with a picnic basket dangling in his mouth. Shifting back into a human, he swung the basket onto his arm.

"We're….going on a picnic?" Raven deadpanned.

Beast Boy beamed. "Isn't it great? This place is so peaceful, just how you like it. Come on, I'll show you."

He took her by the arm, and together they walked along the lakeside. Raven had to acknowledge it was thoughtful of him to consider a location where she would feel comfortable, and besides, the rising moon kissing the lake was beautiful.

Beast Boy found a spot by the lake that rose a little higher so the edge of the shore wasn't as wet. He spread the blanket then plopped the basket on top, kneeling down to leaf through it.

"Let me guess, tofu?" Raven said as she sat down beside him.

"Tofu for _me_ , but I know you don't like it that much, so I packed you beef lo mien and tea," he said, handing her a container of food and a thermos.

Raven was pleasantly surprised for the second time this evening. She took a sip from the thermos. The brew was watery and weak-she suspected he had placed the tea bag in for no more than ten seconds before growing impatient-but she was still flattered by the gesture. Her dinner, however, was delicious. Beast Boy wasn't one to cook meat, but he could order good food when he wanted to. He dug in to the spring rolls and tofu he packed, eating with more restraint than usual.

"You put a lot into this," Raven observed after she finished her entrée.

"Is that a good thing?" he questioned, looking hopeful.

Raven nodded; a small smile splayed across her lips. They sat there for a while, watching the moon rise and reminiscing about old stories.

"I still have no idea what a _milnip wusserloop_ is," Beast Boy laughed, referring to the time Starfire had forgiven him for pulling a prank on her.

"Knowing Starfire I would think it likely means something endearing but brutally honest," Raven mused. "Perhaps 'beloved idiot?'"

"Hey, anything's better than being called a _clorbag._ "

"That, we can agree on."

Beast Boy gently flicked a mosquito off of his leg. Anyone else would have swatted the irritating insect, but being in touch with the animal kingdom must have given him a little insight. He stared up at the moon, and Raven felt his fingers carefully tangle with her own.

"Who knew _we_ would end up on a date," he said in wonderment.

"Truly shocking."

He smirked, his fang jutting out. "So…when did you know you were into me?"

Raven groaned. "Do we really have to talk about this?"

"Aw Rae, don't get embarrassed."

"When did _you_ know?"

"I dunno."

"You always have a way with words."

Beast Boy laughed. He leaned in like he was about to kiss her, but then seemed to think better of it. "We should head back to the Tower. Might as well take advantage while the others are gone."

Raven felt her stomach flip. She was sure Beast Boy hadn't realized the double meaning in his words, but that didn't mean she could overlook it. She had kissed him several times before, so what was the big deal now?

 _You hadn't gone on a real date before._

She took a deep breath and silently whispered her mantra while Beast Boy began to pack everything back into the basket. Despite how irrational it was, Raven couldn't help but feel things were finally going the way she wanted, so it was only a matter of time before something screwed it all up.

~0~0~0~

It was odd, having the empty Tower to come back to. Raven levitated their picnic supplies over to the kitchen, too exhausted to take care of them that night. She and Beast Boy walked down the hallway in silence. It was a little awkward, considering neither one had much experience with the end of dates.

As they approached his room, Beast Boy shifted to regard her. "Would you…wanna come in for a bit?" he asked nervously.

There were things Raven would compromise on, but going into Beast Boy's pigsty of a room was not currently one of them. "No."

His ears drooped, and it occurred to her she had come across as harsh.

"What I mean is…can you walk me to my room?"

 _Nice save Raven,_ she thought sarcastically.

Her request seemed to lift his spirits a little, for he nodded and they continued to walk down the hallway. When they came to Raven's door, her heart was beating so fast she became angry with herself, for he no doubt could hear it. Beast Boy shuffled his feet, however, too caught up in his own anxiousness to worry about her.

Their following conversation could not have been more excruciating.

"So I, um, had fun today," he began.

"Me too."

"Would you wanna, like, do it again sometime?"

"Sure."

"Would you wanna, like, be my girlfriend, or whatever?"

"Sounds good."

"Sweet."

"Yup."

Raven was going to lose it if something didn't interrupt this painful interaction. Not only that, but despite the waves of fretfulness that had plagued her the entire day at the thought of kissing him, she realized she would like nothing more than to do just that.

So when her door slid open, and he opened his mouth to speak again, she took the front of his uniform in her fists and stepped backwards into the darkness of her room. The door barely had time to slide shut before her mouth was on him, silencing any other attempt at casual small talk.

The kiss was passionate, not rough per say, but not gentle either. His hands tangled in her hair, and her hands remained fastened to the front of his uniform. Feeling bold from her talk with Starfire, Raven reached up and unclasped her cloak, letting it fall to the floor.

They were both still painfully new at this, so there was bound to be some bumbling and awkward lip biting and what not. That didn't mean it wasn't fun.

The backs of Raven's legs hit the side of her bed, and she sat down, tilting her head back and allowing Beast Boy to lean over her. He placed his hands on either side of her, flat against the bed. Raven pulled her shoes off with her feet. She scooted more to the center of the bed, finally breaking contact with his lips. He looked confused and a little unsure, as if he just realized he was in her room and practically on her bed.

"If you're going to come here, the least you can do it take of your shoes," came her snarky comment, for that was the only way she knew how to hide her nervousness.

Beast Boy didn't respond, but he hurriedly removed his shoes, and then his gloves, before climbing tentatively over her. He brought his elbows down on either side of her head, always making sure to keep a half a foot of space between their bodies as their mouths joined.

One thing Raven noticed about kissing Beast Boy was that he never did anything new unless she was the one to suggest it. Part of her felt like it was because he respected her space, but the other part of her suspected he was still nervous she would send him to an alternate dimension if he tried anything. It sort of helped to know he was just as anxious as she was.

He made a noise as their tongues slid against each other, and Raven felt warmth spread in her lower stomach. Images of her fantasies in the shower popped into her mind, and she gasped a little as his fang brushed her bottom lip.

"Sorry," he murmured, latching onto her neck.

Raven brought her hand up to his back and frowned at how far away he was. "You can lie on me," she said dryly. "I don't think you'll crush me."

He paused against her neck. He cleared his throat, once, twice. "Um, that's not why."

"Oh?"

She could feel the warmth of his cheek against hers as he blushed. "Just trust me," he chuckled nervously.

"I don't mind," she said, still not fully understanding what he was so hesitant. He tensed as if he were about to argue something, but then slowly lowered himself so he rested lightly on her.

 _Oh. Well, there you go._

His uniform certainly didn't help to hide it, but it was impossible for Raven _not_ to feel it pressed against her. It pushed against her hip and stomach, and it burned with heat.

"Sorry," he muttered again. "You're just really pretty."

She had to say she was flattered; she just wished it didn't have to come at the expense of his embarrassment. She could tell he was a bit self-conscious, so she didn't say anything, instead choosing to latch her mouth onto his again.

They kissed like that for several minutes, but the heat still built in Raven's chest and stomach. Maybe her demon side was kicking in. Whatever it was, Raven knew she didn't want things to stop quite there. She took his bare hands that were resting against her ribcage and slowly brought them to rest on top of her covered breasts.

He froze and pulled back from her.

"Oh. My. God."

Raven blinked at him.

"I'm touching _boobs_."

She whacked the back of his head, and that seemed to shake him out of his trance. He stared down at her chest, using his thumb to carefully brush over her. She inhaled sharply, and he bent his head to kiss her. He released her mouth after a moment and bent his lips to her ear.

"This is the best day of my life."

Raven laughed. She couldn't help it; sometimes he got to her.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _(peeks nervously behind hands) Well that was probably the raunchiest thing I've written to date on FanFiction. I know it's pretty tame compared to other stories, but writing this was a big deal for me. I actually felt like Raven did while I was writing this chapter believe it or not. Writing this felt a little wrong because it's so different from any romance scenes I've written in the past. Like Beast Boy and Raven, I know what it's like to have all of your firsts shared with someone you care about, so I tried to recreate the imperfect and awkwardly funny experiences on both their parts. There will be mature content in other chapters, but in terms of graphic details I don't see it getting too raunchier than what I've already written. Let me know what you think!_


	11. Phobia

**Author's Note:** _This chapter borrows from the "Teen Titans Go!" comics, which I do not own._

~0~0~0~

Raven summoned her powers to bend a line of branches away from her face. Unfortunately, she missed one, and it came whipping back, scraping the side of her cheek. She grunted in annoyance. The team had been searching for hours in an evergreen forest upstate. There had been multiple sightings of Madam Rouge, so the Titans were hell bent on capturing her before she disappeared again.

She turned to look at Starfire. She was sure the girl was still extremely upset with how the villainess had pretended to be her brother. Raven hoped they caught Rouge, at least for her friend's sake.

"Keep your eyes peeled, Titans," Robin instructed, leaping up a tree to scan the area. "Who knows what we might find."

That was another thing. The Titans had reason to believe Rouge was working with someone. Those who had spotted her had detailed a description of her allegedly talking on an earpiece.

Raven honestly had no idea who her partner in crime could be. Most of the Brotherhood of Evil, Hell, most of the villains they normally fought were still on ice. It was only a matter of time before they broke out, but she had a hard time believing Rouge would help her accomplices just out of the goodness of her heart.

Beast Boy groaned. "Dude, this forest goes on for _miles_ , and my feet are _killing_ me."

"It's too bad you don't have the ability to fly or anything," Raven remarked sarcastically, and he shot her a glare.

"Perhaps Beast Boy does have the point," Starfire offered, landing on the forest floor. "We have been searching for many hours, and the sun has almost set. We could make the camp?"

"Not a bad idea," Cyborg commented, using his extendable arms to grab various sticks off the forest floor. "No use tracking her on an empty stomach," he added, his chest popping open to reveal his built-in grill.

Robin looked uncertain. "But-"

"She'll still be at large in the morning, Robin," Raven pointed out, relieved at the thought of lying down.

The Titans' leader sighed, realizing he was outnumbered. The team trudged back to where they had landed the T-Ship and began the process of laying out sleeping bags and lighting a fire.

Raven wasn't a camper. She hated mosquitoes and having to urinate outdoors and not being able to shower whenever she wanted. None of the Titans had expected to be staying upstate overnight, so their supplies were limited. She sighed. She would do just about anything for a good book right now.

Of course Cyborg always stored food supplies in the T-Ship. They were mostly meat based, so Beast Boy found his dinner in the form of nonpoisonous berries. After they had eaten, they crowded around the open campfire, snuggling into their sleeping bags. At least it wasn't cold.

"So," Beast Boy began. "Who wants to start?"

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Start what?"

"Sharing scary stories, duh!"

Raven rolled her eyes but Starfire appeared to be intrigued. "It is a tradition to share terrifying tales around a fire?"

"If you're camping," Robin explained, "but this isn't really camping."

"Well I could use some entertainment," Cyborg chimed in. He turned his head to Raven. "Something tells me you've got one up your sleeve, Raven."

"Yeah! I bet Rae's really good at telling scary stories!" Beast Boy said enthusiastically.

"Because I'm creepy?"

"Your words, not mine."

Raven crossed her arms, but she could already feel herself giving in from the anticipation on the faces of her friends. Even Robin seemed interested.

She moved her cloak to the side, so she could cross her legs. " _One_ story," she stated firmly.

"Yeah, yeah, just tell it already!" Beast Boy complained, lying on his stomach and kicking his feet back in forth. He rested his hands under his chin and looked at her expectantly.

She glared at him from the corner of her eye, but did as he wanted and cleared her throat in preparation.

"On Azarath there was a legend we used to frighten our children when they were misbehaving," she began.

"Were you a bad child Raven?" Cyrbog asked cheekily.

"Don't interrupt," she shot at him. "Anyway, Azarathians are taught pacifism and to live a peaceful life at a young age. Naturally, when our young ones acted out, sometimes with violence, the elders would come to their homes and tell them about Mortella."

"Who?" Starfire asked.

"Mortella. She was supposedly a demon with poisonous scales for skin, horns trailing her back, and soulless eyes. Her appearance was frightening enough on it's own, but when she spoke, everyone became paralyzed with fear. Her voice would crawl into your ears and nestle in your brain, growing like a parasite. She would whisper things to you, force you to see ghastly images of fire and blood against stones. She would order you to kill your friends, your family, and then finally yourself. You could try to fight her, but her voice would overpower you. Finally, after she drove you mad, you would have no choice but to obey her commands, tearing at your skin until you were nothing but shredded meat and bone. After the elders told the children this story, generally they would not disobey again."

She sighed, glancing up as she finished. She frowned when she discovered the expressions on her friends' faces. Robin looked paler-which was saying something-Cyborg stared with wide eyes, Beast Boy's ears had drooped, and Starfire had buried her face in Robin's cape.

"Uh…the end?"

"That was truly terrifying," Starfire said, her voice muffled from under Robin's cape.

"Yeah you weren't messing around lil' lady," Cyborg added.

"That was awesome! Totally creepy, but awesome!" Beast Boy piped in, sitting up.

"Alright team," Robin said, clearing his voice when it shook a little, "We'll restart our search at the crack of dawn. We have to make sure to-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know. Keep our eyes peeled and all at that," Cyborg waved him off as he settled into his sleeping bag.

Robin seemed vaguely annoyed at being interrupted, but he let it go. Raven watched as he leaned over to give Starfire a kiss for the night. That was the last thing she remembered before she drifted off.

She was in that state caught between wakefulness and sleeping when she felt a pair of hands gently shake her shoulder. She lifted her head, thinking for a moment in her disorientated state that it was time to continue the search. She discovered that wasn't quite right, however, when she noticed the campfire was still burning bright. She shifted her body weight and realized Beast Boy was crouched over her.

"What is it?" she murmured, annoyed at being woken.

"Come with me," he whispered back, before turning into a mouse and darting into the woods.

Raven became concerned. Had he found a trace of Madam Rouge somewhere? She rose silently, so as not to disturb the others and followed him into the thicket of the trees.

"Beast Boy?" she called out cautiously. "If this is some sort of prank, I _will_ send you through a portal to Hell."

She heard the sounds of a small animal, and then the telltale signs of him shifting behind her. When she went to turn around, however, he pushed her gently against a tree and covered her mouth with his.

She broke the contact, placing a hand on his chest. "Really?" she deadpanned.

Beast Boy shrugged. "We've barely had anytime to smooch since our date night. It sucks."

Raven wanted to roll her eyes at the word 'smooch,' but she had been feeling similarly. "I know."

"That's not all," he continued. "I get why you don't wanna tell people yet, but it's not fair. Robin and Star get to be all couple-y around us all the time, and I can't even put my arm around you without it seeming weird."

Raven regarded him in surprise. She had no idea he felt this way. "Well it's not like I'm much of a PDA person anyway," she said, trying to reason with him.

Beast Boy crossed his arms. "You know what I mean. I just don't like having to hide it is all."

"I get that," Raven amended. "Sometimes I feel…similarly, but I just need a little more time to wrap my mind around it all. It's still so new."

He sighed, but a tired smile snuck on his face. "Okay, Rae-Rae. You win."

"Let's go back to the campsite. We still need rest," she reminded him.

"Can I have a goodnight kiss?"

Raven looked at him blandly for a moment, but went to lean in, expecting a quick peck. She should have known that was never the case with him, not that she was complaining.

His mouth was hard against hers, their movements a little rougher than usual. His hands came up to cup her breasts, and she could feel him grinning against her lips. Her fingers brushed his ear and then came around to grasp the back of his head. He pressed his body firmly to hers, his hipbone jutting into her thigh.

She lifted one of her legs up, so her foot lay flat against the tree. As he moved to kiss her neck, one of his hands traveled down to hook under her knee and brought the leg up to his hip. They were forced so close together that Raven could feel every which way his body moved. As he pulled her cloak to the side to get a better angle at her neck, she felt his pelvis brush against her.

The feeling was so unexpected that she moaned softly. Beast Boy paused against her neck, and she was suddenly mortified. She pushed away from him, straightening her clothing.

She cleared her throat. "We need to get some sleep."

The disappointment on his face was clear, but he didn't argue. They walked back to the campsite in silence, all but for the pinecones crunching under their feet. Just before they reached the others, she felt him lean into her so his lips brushed her ears.

"Just for the record…that was so hot."

He moved away before she could slap him, blowing her a kiss as he did so. By the time Raven settled into her sleeping bag for the second time that night, her heartbeat had calmed down. She wished, not for the first time, that she could be like Starfire and not get embarrassed by things like this. She envied the girl's confidence.

She exhaled, closing her eyes. At least she could trust Beast Boy not to give her a hard time when it came to this stuff.

When all five Titans were finally asleep, two figures in the shadows moved closer.

~0~0~0~

They weren't off to a great start the next morning. Cyborg had forgotten to keep a record of which areas of the forest they had already covered, Robin was flustered, and Beast Boy had lost his communicator. Raven had a pounding headache, and even Starfire was a little irritable.

Due to the fact they had no clue where to restart their search, Robin suggested they split up to cover more ground. Raven took the North side of the forest, levitating over miles and miles of pine trees. She was having trouble sensing the others, which troubled her. Something was off, but she just chalked it up to sleep deprivation.

As she landed on the forest floor to search on foot, she heard a branch snap, and she whipped around. Her shoulders relaxed when she realized it was Beast Boy.

"Hey Rae-Rae."

She huffed in agitation. " _Don't_ jump out at me," she warned. "Where did you even come from?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "I was flying through my area when I saw you."

"You're supposed to be searching the West side of the forest." She glanced down at his hip. "You found your communicator?"

He glanced down at his belt. "Uh…yeah! I found it while trying to track down Rouge."

"All that way from the campsite?" she questioned skeptically.

Beast Boy shrugged. "It happens, I guess."

 _Something's not right._

She shook her head as if to clear it. "Have you been feeling…weird at all?"

"Yeah totally, Rae-Rae. Totally weird."

"Can you cut it out with the pet names?" she snapped, irritated. She rubbed her temples. "I need to call Robin." She pulled out her communicator, but Beast Boy put his hand on top of hers.

"How about we go on a walk first," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

She stared at him in disbelief. "We're on a mission right now, in case you haven't noticed."

He blew her a kiss. He took her hand and started heading further North.

"I don't get what's happening," Raven whispered, her vision blurring.

"It's freaking me out too. Don't worry Rae-Rae, soon we'll be out of the woods-no pun intended-and then we can smooch all you like," he teased, waggling his eyebrows again.

"We should…get back to the others," she wheezed, feeling lightheaded.

"Can't let you do that."

"What?" she asked, swaying dangerously.

He led her under a thick layer of pine, and she saw him whispering to someone; someone she couldn't see. Then his body started to convulse, and his very appearance started to change.

Raven's vision went black for a moment, and then flickered back.

 _That was strange,_ she thought, fearing the worst. She looked around to find she was all alone. Where was Beast Boy? She pulled out her communicator again.

"Robin. I'll meet you back at the T-Ship."

"What are you talking about?" Robin asked through the screen, his mask furrowed.

"You just ordered us to meet back at the T-Ship," Raven said, feeling herself start to sweat.

"I never said that."

Starfire's face appeared on her screen. "Friends, I can't get in touch with Cyborg. Don't you think we should regroup?"

 _She's using contractions. What the Hell is happening?_

"Guys, I'm right here. I've been on the line the entire time," Cyborg said, exasperated.

"Titans," Robin snapped, the expression on his face causing Raven's blood to chill. He looked scared. Robin never looked scared. "We need to-"

 _"Foolish Titans."_

Raven grasped her head, falling to her knees. Someone was inside her mind. She couldn't help but think of the tale she had told the night before.

 _"You are so arrogant as to think_ you _are the ones who are tracking_ us _, when the reality is, you can't even realize when there is an imposter in your midst."_

No. It couldn't be.

 _"Tick tock, who could it be?"_

Raven's vision cleared. She rose to her knees the same time Beast Boy entered the clearing. Both stared at the other in horror.

"Did you hear that voice in your head too?" he asked in a small voice.

Raven nodded. "Madam Rouge must be disguised as one of us. I think it's Robin…or maybe Cyborg. He didn't answer his communicator until much later than the rest of us. Come to think of it, why didn't you answer?" She glanced down at his belt, realizing his communicator was absent again. She had sworn when she ran into him earlier he had found it. She paused, not really sure if she could even trust _him_ or not. Beast Boy seemed to realize the same thing, for he stepped back, watching her carefully.

Before Beast Boy could snap back with a reply, Cyborg and Starfire burst through the forest, poised to attack. They calmed significantly when they saw Raven and Beast Boy, but they remained on guard.

"Where's Robin?" Cyborg asked.

"Are we even sure Robin _is_ Robin?" Beast Boy asked, scratching his head.

"The imposter could be any of us," Raven stated, and something shifted in the way they regarded each other. All four Titans took on a tensed stance and eyed the person on either side warily.

"I spoke to Robin last. He was nowhere near the T-Ship. Why did _you_ accuse him of giving the false orders?" Starfire spoke, raising a starbolt at Raven.

"Why were _you_ using contractions?" she countered. "And _you_ ," she said, pointing a finger at Beast Boy, "Don't tell me you lost your communicator again!"

"What are you talking about? I never found it!" Beast Boy snapped back, frustrated.

"Someone's messing with our minds," Cyborg stated, trying to be reasonable. "We all just need to calm down."

"Don't start," Beast Boy snapped. "Raven said you didn't answer your communicator until way late. What were you doing?"

"Man, I was on the whole time!"

"Where is Robin?" Starfire wailed.

"Quiet!" Raven shouted, and everyone fell silent. "Obviously Rouge infiltrated our camp the night before when our guards were down." She glanced over at Beast Boy. Before he disappeared, he had referenced their…activities the night before so it was a safe bet he was really Garfield. She couldn't exactly tell the others that though, without sounding like a crazy person.

"That still doesn't explain why we're going nuts!" Beast Boy shouted.

"Beast Boy, do you remember what you told me a few hours ago?" Raven asked him.

The changeling turned to her, confused. "When?"

"When we ran into each other while searching for Rouge."

He frowned. "This is the first time I've seen you since this morning, Rae."

Robin chose that moment to burst into the clearing where they were all standing. His expression was wild; his hair matted in every which way. Starfire let out an "Eep!" of surprise and a starbolt accidently shot out of her hand.

That's when all Hell brook loose.

The five Titans began to attack each other, paralyzed with fear and delusion. They all thought they heard things they didn't, and they all thought they didn't hear things that others claimed they did.

As Raven dodged Cyborg's sonic blast, she felt a splitting pain in her head and screamed. Everything went red.

 _The other Titans turned to her in alarm, and then their eyes glowed. They grew fangs and claws and their mouths dripped with foam and venom._

 _It's a vision,_ she thought. _It's not real._

 _"It's real Raven. It's all real. And you are mine to control."_

 _Raven's extra set of eyes blinked open, and all four flamed red. Her friends glared at her in their deformed states._

 _"You are a disgrace," Starfire rasped._

 _"You're worthless," Cyborg spat._

 _"You were never our friend," Robin growled._

 _"Stay back!" Raven screamed, trying to fight the vision._

 _Beast Boy walked up to her slowly, tentatively. He reached his mutilated hand out, his eyes glowing with disgust._

 _"You're a monster," he snarled, his words filled with so much hatred that something in Raven broke._

 _She lashed out with her powers, reaching out wildly in all directions. She heard several cries of pain. She saw her energy slicing Beast Boy, watching him crumple at her feet, bleeding heavily. Starfire screamed, and Cyborg and Robin cried out. Raven fell to her knees. She blinked once, twice._

Everything became clear.

She wished it hadn't.

They were all still in the clearing, but it was covered in blood. Everyone was bleeding and bruised except for her.

Beast Boy lay motionless in a puddle of red.

Raven cried out, covering her mouth. She tried to crawl over to him, feeling so very weak, but Robin retrained her with his grappling hook.

"It's Phobia. She got control of her," she heard Robin say, but she barely heard him.

She _was_ a monster.

She heard the sound of footsteps and barely had the energy to look up. Cyborg was standing over her with a syringe. His lip was cut badly, and he had several scratches on his robotic parts.

"Sorry Rae," he muttered, and then plunged the syringe into her neck.

~0~0~0~

She woke up in the infirmary.

Her heart must have started beating rapidly, for a sharp beeping came from the hospital wing's control system. Cyborg rushed in a moment later, his eyes wide. He settled significantly when he realized she had risen. He walked to her hospital bed.

"What happened?"

Cyborg seemed uncomfortable. She noticed his lip had completely healed. How long had she been out?

"Rouge and Phobia were working together. They must have been watching us all right up until we went to bed by the T-Ship. Phobia entered our minds while we were sleeping, planting delusions and anxieties for us when we woke up. Seems like they targeted you from the beginning though."

"Why?"

Cyborg shrugged. "Must have been something they noticed about you the night before."

Raven suppressed a violent shudder. They had been watching her and Beast Boy in the forest that night. They must have realized a weakness of hers they could exploit. It was already easy to find her insecurities, but it must have been child's play when they realized they could emotionally manipulate her as well.

She swallowed. "So when I saw him…in the woods the next day…that was Rouge?"

Cyborg nodded. "Guess she made herself look like Beast Boy and convinced you to move farther away from the rest of us. That's when Phobia got her real hold on you."

"But all of you, in the clearing-"

"We were all kind of messed up," Cyborg said, smiling bitterly. "Whatever she planted in our dreams the night before made us paranoid, especially around each other."

"Phobia…is she…?"

"Rouge is in custody; Phobia is at large," he told her. "It's a miracle we got Rouge to be honest, but she made one crucial mistake." He smirked. "She was the one who stole Beast Boy's communicator that night. Made it easy for her to mess with our signals. We ended up tracking it down and then booked her."

Raven felt her throat tighten. "Beast Boy. Is he-" her voiced cracked.

Cyborg stared at her affectionately. "He's doing fine, lil' lady. Still looks a bit rough, but he'll be okay. You're the one that's been out for almost a week."

He started to move towards the door. "I'll get you some water." He paused at the door. "He doesn't blame you, Rae," he added softly.

Raven nodded stiffly but didn't answer. It didn't matter what anyone said. When she had been under Phobia's spell, she had _wanted_ to kill him. That in itself was something she could never forgive herself for.

When Cyborg left, Raven leaned back and stared at the infirmary ceiling. She wondered what it would be like, if she could just crumble into nothing like the plaster above her head could.

She heard the infirmary doors slide open and she sat up, expecting Cyborg but found Robin and Starfire at the entrance instead. The Tamaranean girl had a soft smile on her face, but Robin was all business.

"How are you feeling?" he inquired, coming to her bedside.

"I'm fine." She looked down unable to make eye contact with them. "I'm sorry…for everything."

"Oh Raven, please do not do the worrying," Starfire said, drawing her in for a hug. She released her a moment later, her green eyes wide with anxiousness. "Perhaps you require the Tamaranean pudding of sadness to distract from your woes."

"That's okay, thanks Star," Raven answered hastily.

"How much do you remember from your vision?" Robin pressed. "We might be able to use it to track Phobia."

"Robin!" Starfire scolded. "Now is not the time for the investigating!"

Raven shook her head. "I'll tell you about it when my head isn't as muddled."

Robin looked like he was about to ask another question, but one fiery glare from Starfire made him reconsider. "Let us know if you need anything, Raven," he said instead, and then turned to leave.

"I will join you in a moment, Boyfriend Robin," Starfire called. Robin nodded and then left to give the girls privacy. When he was gone, Starfire turned to her friend with tears in her eyes.

"He won't come see me, will he?" Raven croaked.

Starfire shook her head. Raven felt like she could barely breathe.

"He does not blame you. He merely wishes to give you time to heal…"

Raven shook her head. "He's afraid of me."

"No! Raven, you must not think that."

Raven looked up at the taller girl, her eyes dead. "Starfire, if it's alright, I'd like to be left alone."

The redhead appeared as if she wanted to protest, but she ended up nodding, tears leaking from her eyes. "Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you are in need," she pleaded, and then quickly exited the room.

Raven turned over on her side, away from the door. She brought a hand up to her mouth to stifle her sobs.

~0~0~0~

Raven didn't leave her room for three days. This was partly due to the fact that she was still healing her mind, but it also made it easier to conceal the pain she felt. They all came to visit her, to give her food, to check up on her.

All except him.

She had another reason for not leaving her room; a reason she was sure would be beneficial to the team in the long run. She was training to shield her mind.

She spent most of her time in Nevermore, talking to each of her emotions, especially Knowledge. She learned a lot from all of them. They gave her insight on ways to be able to protect herself against future attacks.

By the end of the third day, she knew she was ready to face the villainess again. None of the others could know about this, for they would try to stop her. Sitting in lotus position, Raven closed her eyes and focused all her energy on finding Phobia. When she opened her eyes again, they glowed white.

 _"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos."_

Her raven soared, breaking through the Tower and searching miles away. It twisted through mountains, ran along streams, and came to rest in a clearing surrounded by sand and dust. Phobia was there, floating in her green and black uniform. She smiled.

 _"I knew you would try to find me,"_ she taunted, her eyes glowing as she prepared to enter Raven's mind.

What Phobia didn't expect was the shield that met her.

 _"Careful,"_ Raven replied in her corporeal form, _"Wouldn't want you to get scared."_

The two engaged in a dance of telepathic power. Phobia would try to maneuver herself around Raven's shield, but the empath held strong. The villain threatened her with visions of her fears, reminding her of what she had become in that clearing. Despite the overwhelming pain Raven felt from her past actions, she used the vision to fuel the power behind her own attacks.

Phobia could feel she was at a disadvantage, so she tried to teleport away. Raven's form blocked her at every turn though. When Phobia became desperate, she launched another attack, this one nearly breaking through Raven's shield.

 _"No! I will not let you control me again,"_ Raven cried, and using all her energy, her raven swallowed Phobia, sending her spiraling into another dimension.

Raven felt herself collapse back into her room, despite the fact she had never truly left. She fell backwards against her bed, breathing heavily.

It was over. She had done it. There was nothing left to worry about.

A knock sounded on the other side of her door.

Except that.

Raven opened her door, sensing it was him, but nearly falling over when she saw his appearance. The left side of his face was badly bruised, and his arm was in a sling. Other than that, it seemed he was healing fine on his own. Raven still felt a stab of guilt pierce her chest.

"Hi," he said lamely.

"Hi."

"I think I owe you an apology."

Raven raised her eyebrows. "It should be the other way around," she replied, hating how thick her voice sounded.

Beast Boy shook his head. "I should have visited you. I don't…I don't want you to lock yourself in your room because of me." He blinked away tears.

"I thought you were afraid of me."

"I am! You scare me to death," he told her, "but not for the reasons you think."

Raven swallowed, not quite trusting herself to speak, but knowing she had to anyway. "I think…we should put things on pause."

Beast Boy froze. "You mean, like, break up?" His voice sounded small.

"My powers are still shot from Phobia's attack. I took care of her, but I'll be out of commission for a while. Even now I can feel my energy crackling through my body, ready to spring out and cause damage if I don't control my emotions."

"You…took care of her?"

The corner of Raven's mouth quirked up. "I'll explain it to you and the others later."

Beast Boy frowned, clearly still bothered. "I don't get why you don't want to be together anymore. I thought you had fun with me."

"I do, Gar. It's not a matter of if I _want_ to or not. It's just while I'm recovering I need to keep a strong hold on my emotions and you…tend to make them go haywire."

"But-"

"I don't want to hurt you again!" she snapped, and a vase in her room shattered into a million pieces. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. "See what I mean?"

"I don't care! I want to be with you. I'm not afraid."

"Is that why you've been avoiding me?"

His ears drooped. "I thought you wouldn't want to see me."

Raven squeezed her eyes shut, taking in a deep breath. "We can't be together. Not while I'm like this. This is how it has to be for as long as it takes. I'm not going to risk the safety of you and the others again. I'm sorry."

Beast Boy looked like he had been slapped. He stepped back from her, opening his mouth like we was about to say something, then decided against it. He stared at her for one long moment and then walked away from her room, disappearing down the hallway.

Raven took a step back into her room and shut the door, once again sealing herself from the outside world.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _Unfortunately this is where I'm staying true to the comics. Hopefully Raven figures it out soon. Next two chapters will be more romance based._


	12. Network pt 1

**Author's Note:** _This chapter features scenes where the Titans are dressed in formal attire. If you would like to see images for what I imagine Starfire and Raven's dresses to look like, I have included the links down below: (I don't own these images, also please let me know if the images are no longer available)_

 _Starfire: pin/54606214211155229_

 _Raven:_ dresses/designers/sherri-hill/52041

~0~0~0~

Raven took a seat next to Cyborg on the ops sofa as she and the others prepared to listen to what she was sure was another one of Robin's lectures. He hadn't called them in for a meeting in a while, so this had to be good. Maybe they were becoming too reliant on their powers again, or perhaps they were eating too much pizza and that was getting in the way of their training schedule.

The empath glanced at Beast Boy out of the corner of her eye. It had been approximately a week since she had requested they put their relationship on hold, and things had been a little uncomfortable to say the least.

It was subtle enough that the other Titans hadn't really picked up on it, but Raven was fine tuned when it came to Beast Boy. He picked on her far less, choosing to spend his time bugging Robin of all people over her. When they passed in the hallways he nodded at her, or occasionally said "Hey, Rae," but never anything beyond that. It appeared as though he was trying to make the separation between friend and significant other. Apparently it took their break for Raven to realize how muddled that line was.

Even though he was clearly upset about her decision-Raven wasn't fairing so well herself-she barely felt any sadness radiating off of him. At first she had been a little hurt by this, but she quickly figured out the reason why. Even now, as they sat in ops awaiting Robin to call the meeting to order, Beast Boy was subconsciously flipping the penny she had given him between his fingers. She observed him carrying it around frequently as if he wasn't ashamed to hide it. Maybe he thought if she saw it, she would feel guilty about the pain she was causing him. If that was his intention, it was working.

She couldn't really blame him for being angry or upset. He didn't even do anything wrong, and yet she didn't want to be with him. Well, 'want' was the wrong word, but the point was they couldn't be together in her current state. She was just beginning to regain confidence in the use of most of her powers; she couldn't mess that up now. Not if the risk meant nearly killing him again.

Needing a distraction from her thoughts, Raven chose to study Robin. She noticed he seemed a little different, uncertain even. This was rare coming from the Titans' leader. He stood up in front of his team and folded his hands behind his back. He coughed once, twice, and then began.

"Titans, I've called you here today to talk about something of great importance," he started, pacing slowly. "It's been almost half a year since the Titan network defeated the Brotherhood of Evil, and already I've noticed everyone beginning to drift apart. I've talked to Bumblebee and Kid Flash about potential solutions to ensure our allies from all over the globe remain connected. They came up with an…interesting idea."

Raven watched Robin closely. From the look on his face, she could tell whatever this idea was; it pained him very much to give it any credibility whatsoever.

"Well come on Man, don't keep us in suspense," Cyborg prodded.

"Yes, what is this proposal?" Starfire inquired, her eyes wide with curiosity.

Robin pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "They suggested we host a dance," he said, finally looking up.

Raven stared at him, feeling just as horrified as he looked. "A what?" she questioned blandly.

Robin sighed. "A formal. A ball. Whatever you want to call it."

Beast Boy perked up. "You mean we get to dress all fancy and bring dates and everything?" He cast Raven a hopeful glance, but she pretended not to see.

"Can I bring Sarah?" Cyborg asked.

"Will we host such an occasion in the Tower?" Starfire inquired.

Robin gazed at each of them as he responded to their questions individually. "Yes, yes and no," he said, glancing at Starfire last. "I have a…connection who has been kind enough to rent us a private, and very _expensive_ venue right here in Jump."

"Sweet!" Beast Boy cheered.

"Are we _required_ to attend?" Raven droned.

Robin met her eyes with an expression that really said 'I feel your pain.' "Yes. It's a great opportunity for all of us to network with Titans we haven't really gotten a chance to interact with while fighting the Brotherhood. It will be…good for us," he finished, seeming like he was trying to convince himself.

"When is this formal?" Starfire said, cocking her head to the side.

"A week from tomorrow," he told her. "We have a lot to do until then, so I'll need your guys' help."

"Are we the party planning committee now too?" Raven questioned dryly.

Robin stared at her, mildly annoyed. "Well we need to contact all of the Titans, buy things to wear, set up the venue, and order food."

"And find dates," Beast Boy added.

"Correction. _You_ and _Raven_ need to find dates," Robin said. "Or don't. It doesn't really matter." Raven heard him mutter something along the lines of 'So glad I don't have to go through that nightmarish process anymore.'

"Well I'll order the food, no problem," Cyborg said, leaning back.

"I shall assist in contacting all of our friends!" Starfire said jubilantly. She turned her head to Raven. "Perhaps you would like to assist me, Friend Raven? We could also use the time to select evening dresses for this occasion?"

Raven sighed. She knew that was coming. "Sure, Starfire."

"Glorious!"

Robin looked around at his team. "Well if that's all, then meeting dismissed. Time to plan for the dance. Wow, I can't believe I just said that," he mumbled irritably as he walked out of the room.

"Raven, would you like to accompany me to the mall of shopping?" Starfire asked hopefully.

Raven rose from the sofa. "In a bit Star, I need to meditate first."

Starfire nodded happily and flew from the room. Raven followed her out, but turned in a different direction as she began to walk to her room. She got about halfway there when she heard footsteps behind her. She paused and turned around, not at all surprised to see the changeling standing a few feet from her.

"Can I talk to you for a sec?" he asked.

Raven raised her eyebrow, significantly irritated. "Oh, _now_ you want to talk?"

Beast Boy frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"You've been avoiding me. Ever since…"

"I'm giving you space," he told her. "I thought that's what you wanted."

"I _want_ you to be my friend, for the time being," she added. "Until I can sort myself out."

Beast Boy shuffled his feet. "It's just hard to pretend things aren't different."

"You don't have to pretend, Beast Boy. I just don't want you to shut me out."

He suddenly looked angry. "Oh, like _you_ haven't been shutting _me_ out?"

"That's different," she said coldly, hurt by his accusation. "I'm trying to protect you."

"Well I'm still getting hurt, aren't I?" he snapped, and then gazed miserably at the floor.

Raven felt her expression soften. "I'm sorry...but this isn't for forever, Gar."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "You don't know that. By the time you've fixed your powers you might feel differently."

"You could feel differently too, you know."

He shook his head. "I don't think so." He glanced up at her, smiling weakly. "Anyway, I came to ask you to the dance. I know it's stupid, and you'll say no, 'cuz like you didn't even like showing people we were together when we were _together_ and now you definitely won't want to, but I still wanted to at least _ask_ and-"

"Yes."

"Huh?" Beast Boy asked, his eyes bugging out.

Raven's lips formed a small smile. "Yes. I'll go with you."

His entire expression transformed into one of pure joy. "Sweet! This is so awesome!" Then, before she could say anything else, he bounded down the hallway, swinging his arms and softly singing a little victory song.

Raven watched him as he turned a corner and disappeared from view. She shook her head, smiling absently to herself. Her smile faded into a more serious one as she thought about the implications of what she had just done, considering her tie to her emotions and powers was still very delicate. That being said, if she had to go to some dance, she was glad it would be with Beast Boy, really she was.

She just hoped she wasn't pushing things.

~0~0~0~

Starfire had been so busy contacting the other Titans she had actually forgotten to pester Raven about shopping for almost three whole days. Unfortunately, the empath couldn't escape the orange girl's bubbly enthusiasm, so six days before the formal, she dragged the half-demon to the mall.

Raven had to give Starfire credit; the girl was at least _trying_ to venture into stores Raven might like. They were in this quaint eveningwear boutique presently, and Raven had to admit it was a _little_ fun to browse the selection.

Starfire had already found a satin, meadow green two-piece dress with a slit in the bottom that had looked amazing on her, but honestly there weren't many things she _didn't_ look drop dead gorgeous wearing.

"You do not wish to wear the two-piece, correct?" Starfire asked her friend, holding up two parts of a black dress.

"I'd rather not," Raven responded, flattered Starfire had taken the time to learn her preferences.

"Oh! I have found one that is a similar color to your cloak!" the alien gasped, pulling a long sleeved dress off the rack. "It does show the shoulders, but I have always thought those to be lovely features of yours."

Raven colored as she took the dress from Starfire. It was fairly conservative, other than the shoulder thing. The only real potential problem she could tell from the dress was it flared out at the bottom like a subtle mermaid fin. She wasn't sure how flattering something like that would look on her.

"I guess I could try it on," Raven said, feeling a little bold.

"Oh, I am so glad you have stepped out of the comfort corner!"

"I think you mean comfort _zone_ , Starfire."

"Yes, of course!"

The alien gave Raven an encouraging smile as she stepped into the dressing room. She struggled getting the dress up her body, seeing as it formed in ways she wasn't use to wearing. Finally, when it was fully on her person, Raven inspected her body critically.

The dress was extremely form fitting. She was used to the tightness of her leotard, but this hugged her body in a whole different way. She usually had the cover of her cloak to hide behind, but her hips and rear were out in the open in this attire. It was her favorite color, which helped a great deal, but she couldn't get over the exposed skin on her neck and shoulders. She _never_ showed this part of her body. Other than that time at the beach, the pale skin of her neck was always hidden.

Except from Beast Boy.

Raven shuddered, remembering the times he had trailed his lips there. In truth, she missed touching him. She felt comfortable in her own skin when she was around him. His eyes always held an understanding, and he never showed any signs of judgment.

She missed him, period.

She sighed, staring at her reflection. She wondered what his reaction would be if he saw her like this. She wondered if his eyes would fall to her neck and shoulders, thinking about the ways he had touched them, like she was thinking now.

"Raven, may I see?"

The half-demon jolted from her trance-like state, and gradually opened the curtain to reveal herself to the taller girl. Starfire squealed, pressing her hands to her mouth in excitement. She steadied her breathing and tried to act casual, as if she hadn't already given away her opinion of the dress.

"So…what do you think?" she questioned, trying to sound off-hand. It was a little cute, to be honest.

Raven gave her a shy smile. "It's lovely."

Starfire clapped her hands together in quick succession. "Oh, I _knew_ you would love it! Let us pay for it at once!"

When the two returned to the Tower, Robin had pestered Starfire on her purchase, but she had refused to show him. She claimed she had heard it was bad luck for the man to see the woman's dress before the 'big day.' Robin tried to explain the superstition applied to weddings not dances, but the redhead insisted it counted for this occasion as well. The Boy Wonder ended up following her to her room, still thinking he could change her mind and give him a sneak peek.

Raven set her bag down on the kitchen counter and fixed herself a mug of earl grey tea. Cyborg and Beast Boy were playing video games on the sofa. As she poured the hot water, she heard the latter curse, and she could only assume he had lost yet again to the half-robot.

"Hey Raven," Cyborg called over to her after they had finished their game, "buy anything good?"

"I think so," she replied nonchalantly, placing a teabag in her drink.

"Can we see?" Beast Boy asked, trying not to sound too hopeful in front of Cyborg.

Raven smirked, seeing through his act. "You'll see at the formal."

The changeling gave her a playful glare but didn't argue. Both male Titans turned around on the couch and started another game.

"So have you found a date yet, BB?" Cyborg questioned as his fingers moved frantically over the game console.

Raven froze mid-sip. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, but she was curious as to how Beast Boy was going to handle this interaction. Even from the kitchen she could see the back of the green Titan's neck turn a bright red.

"Uh…not yet," he replied, his character on the screen dying yet again.

Cyborg put down the game console and kicked up his feet on the coffee table, leaning against the back of the sofa. "Better hurry Man, before all the cuties are gone."

"Yeah, he-he, right."

"I can help you brainstorm who to ask if you want."

Beast Boy turned to his right to look at Cyborg. His gaze slid to the side, and he noticed Raven staring at him curiously. She quickly turned away before she could get a good look at his expression.

The changeling cleared his throat. "I really don't think-"

"Aw, come on! It'll be fun," Cyborg said, punching his arm. "How about Kole?"

Beast Boy snorted. "Like Gnarrk would let me anywhere near her. Besides, I think her and Jericho have a thing now."

"Shit, really? That's news to me."

"Yeah."

"What about Argent then?"

"Hotspot already asked her."

"Well maybe-"

"I think I already have someone in mind," Beast Boy admitted.

Raven stared hard at the kitchen counter, feeling trapped. It's not that she minded if Beast Boy told Cyborg the truth, but being in the same room while it happened was a little too much to handle. Their secret would be out; that they were dating…well, _were_ dating…or will again…ugh, it hurt to think about. Either way, Cyborg would know something was up, if he didn't already. Raven attempted to steady her breathing.

"Really?" Cyborg raised his eyebrows. "Who?"

Beast Boy laughed nervously. "Well I'm glad you brought this up actually, 'cuz it's someone we know pretty well."

 _He's actually going to tell him._

"I think she's really, um, cute and super strong, and s-special and stuff."

 _Here it comes._

"Who is it, BB?"

Beast Boy took a deep breath. "It's R-"

The microwave exploded with black energy, scattering pieces of metal all over the room. Cyborg and Beast Boy snapped their heads to Raven in alarm, and she turned beet red.

"Sorry. Need to meditate," she provided lamely, and then bolted from the room with her purchase.

~0~0~0~

Raven unclasped her cloak and placed it on her bed, next to the dress she would wear in only a matter of hours. The boys had apparently left without them, and were already at the venue helping to set up everything. Raven assumed since she and Starfire had done most of the work in terms of inviting those on the guest list-and keep in mind Raven wasn't a people person-she supposed the male Titans owed it to them to pick up the slack when it came to decorating.

Raven ran her fingers over the smooth material of the dress. In hindsight, she probably should have bought fancier shoes, but seeing as the dress practically dragged on the floor, no one would notice if she wore her regular ones. She preferred comfort to fashion anyway.

A knock sounded on her door, and she crossed the room to answer it. Starfire was on the other side, standing in her underwear, her make up and hair already done. Delicate curls fell down her back in a red waterfall. Her eyes were dusted with delicate shades of light browns and gold. Her lips were a subtle pink color. She didn't even have her dress on, yet she still looked amazing.

"Friend Raven," she said, tapping her index fingers together, "I was wondering if you had a preference for your hair and make up."

Raven stared at her blankly. It hadn't even occurred to her that that was something she should consider. Starfire seemed to realize this, for her hand covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. She reached out and took the pale girl's hand.

"Please, come to my room. There are things we must do before you put on your dress."

When they reached Starfire's room, said alien ushered Raven over to her vanity chair. She picked up her curling wand before the empath could protest and began to wrap her violet strands around the metal rod.

"Since your hair is already so short, I will make sure to keep the curling to the minimum," Starfire said, smiling in understanding at Raven's exasperated expression. The latter crossed her arms, looking like an upset child.

After she finished, Raven stared at her reflection. Her hair fell down her face in soft waves, ending just below her chin. It was certainly a style she wasn't used to, but she supposed it suited her. The empath shot Starfire a skeptical look, however, when the redhead moved towards her with a make up palette.

"A little will not hurt you, Raven," Starfire said, smiling wide.

Raven sighed and gave in, telling herself she could always wipe it off if she didn't like it. As Starfire worked on her eyes, Raven noticed she was quieter than usual.

"Is…everything okay?" Raven eventually asked.

Stafire smiled again, but it was forced. "I must admit I am a little…nervous for the formal tonight."

Raven quirked an eyebrow up in surprise. "Why? I thought you loved events like this."

"It is not so much the event, rather it is Robin. There has been a…schism in our relationship as of late."

"Oh?" Raven asked, a little uncomfortably. She felt like she was about to be privy to some very sensitive information.

"Robin has noticed I have been acting rather distant," she continued, applying a dark purple to Raven's eyelids. "He must suspect I am hiding something from him, and he would not be wrong."

"What do you mean?"

Starfire pulled back from Raven, seemingly close to tears. "I am in love with him Raven, and I fear telling him will ruin everything."

Raven sat back in shock, realizing the enormity of the situation. She _loved_ him, and if it really were the type that ran deep, she would never fall out of it.

"Has he said he loves you?" Raven questioned.

Starfire shook her head, forcing the tears to retreat back into her eyelids. "There are times when I believe he feels the same, but perhaps he does not say it because he knows of the implications. I do not know what to do. I am lost."

Raven stared at her friend with compassion. For any other couple, not saying 'I love you' for this long into a relationship would be considered odd. With Robin and Starfire, however, it made sense. What they had right now was delicate and perfect, and declarations of love could destroy everything for them.

At the same time, it was wrong for Starfire to suppress her feelings. If she really loved Robin, she shouldn't hide the truth. Raven sighed. She never thought _she_ would be the one to encourage embracing emotions.

"I think you should do what's best for you," Raven told her. "You might find that the best thing is the hardest thing, but you can't live your life hoping he never finds out. He loves you Star, if not as a lover than most certainly as a friend. Even if he doesn't feel the same he should stand by your side no matter what…just like I will."

Starfire stared at her friend for one long moment, and then flung her arms around her. "Thank you," she whispered into the girl's shoulder. The redhead pulled back, pulling a strand of hair from her face and composing herself. "Now," she said, holding up various shades of lip product. "Which do you like the best?"

Raven groaned.

~0~0~0~

Raven adjusted her dress after she and Starfire landed at the venue. It was odd not wearing a bra, but she was secretly thankful the dress had one built in, for she didn't own strapless lingerie. The dress clung to her body like a second skin, and she ran her fingers through her hair a couple of times. She froze halfway through her adjustments, realizing she actually really did care how she looked tonight. It was a strange feeling.

Starfire fixed the bottom half of her dress so one orange leg popped out through the slit. Her exposed torso twisted about as she turned to survey the area. Raven glanced around as well, taking in her surroundings.

The venue was a large open courtyard bordered by intricately shaped hedges and rows and rows of exotic flowers. The floor was made of stone, with marble pillars reaching skyward to prop up a carved ceiling. Lanterns hung from the stone, and thousands of lights wrapped around each pillar. There was a magnificent fountain in the center with statues of Dionysus and Aphrodite on a stony stand. There were tables of food off to the side, and at the end there stood an ice sculpture made to resemble The Brain. Raven would bet her soul that Beast Boy had ordered that.

Her favorite part was the stone trails that led away from the main courtyard to private ponds with stone benches and tiny lights. She was sure if the party became too much for her-which was a given-she could get a moment to herself in these little areas.

"Yo! You guys made it!" Cyborg boomed, heading over to greet the two female Titans. Robin's connection had also been kind enough to find Cyborg a suit that fit his body size. Whoever this person was, he or she was quite generous.

Sarah also walked over with him, wearing a pink petal dress with her blonde hair pinned to her head. Her blue eyes were complimented with a light purple dusting of eye shadow.

"Cyborg! It is marvelous to see you. And Sarah! You are as bright as a _fanorbla_ fly in your dress!" Starfire beamed.

"Thanks Starfire," Sarah said, albeit a little confused at the alien's wording. "You look really beautiful."

"And Rae, didn't know you cleaned up so nice!" Cyborg continued, giving her an appreciative nod. He started to lead the girls through the courtyard. "We're almost done setting everything up. Should be done before everyone starts getting here."

"Do you happen to know where my date is?" Starfire asked, giggling.

"Should be down one of the trails. There's a hedge labyrinth back here too, ya know. Not sure how Robin's connection could afford all this," Cyborg mused.

Starfire giggled again. "I am sure I have an idea," she replied mysteriously.

Sarah turned to Raven. "Do you know when your date is coming?"

The empath cleared her throat. "Um…he should already be here, actually."

All three of them gazed at her curiously but didn't have a chance to press further because Beast Boy and Robin appeared from behind one of the hedge trails. Robin's face lit up when he saw Starfire, and he went over to give his date a kiss. Raven noticed he cleaned up relatively nice; he had even cooled it a little with the hair gel. His signature mask was still in place, but he did look rather handsome in his tux.

Raven felt butterflies in her stomach when she saw Beast Boy. It seemed unnatural, witnessing him in a suit. She noticed he too, was wearing hair gel, but it was applied tastefully. She assumed Robin must have helped him with the application. He also wore a dark blue bowtie, making her think Starfire had let slip the color of her dress.

The best part of all had to be the expression on his face when he laid eyes on her. His mouth flopped like a fish, and his ears drooped. His cheeks flamed so his coloring resembled that of a Christmas decoration. He cleared his throat and then straightened his bowtie before stepping in front of Raven and taking her hand between his green fingers. Raven's cheeks turned a deep shade of scarlet when he bent down and kissed her hand the way a gentleman would at a ball. Come to think of it, knowing him, he probably watched an old movie so he could mimic the formalities for this very occasion.

Raven glanced to the side to gauge the reactions of the others. Cyborg seemed pleasantly surprised, while Starfire and Sarah appeared overjoyed. Poor Robin just looked extremely confused. The empath shook her head to herself. Their leader was the greatest detective in the city, yet he still couldn't figure out romance.

Beast Boy straightened up and smiled at her shyly. She smiled back, and thankfully she didn't have to answer any of her friends' questions, for the other Titans started to arrive.

Kid Flash came first-no surprise there-with Jinx, who wore an electric purple dress. Titans' East arrived shortly after, followed by Pantha, Jericho, Kole, Gnarrk, Argent, Hotspot, Herald, and many others.

Everyone began to mingle with each other as the food was served. Raven was currently caught in a conversation with Cybrog, Sarah, and Kid Flash. It surprisingly wasn't as painful as she imagined.

"Raven, I didn't even know you owned a dress," Kid Flash teased, eyeing her approvingly.

"I thought you'd recognize the ensemble, considering I got it from your closet," she quipped back dryly, and the speedster burst out laughing.

"You should save me a dance later," he commented.

"Don't think Jinx would like that."

Kid Flash shrugged, and then sent an affectionate wink over to his girlfriend who was engaged in conversation with Argent and Beast Boy. Raven frowned as the latter girl leaned into the changeling, laughing at something he had said. She could have sworn the girl had come here with Hotspot, yet the way she touched Beast Boy's arm had to have been flirtatious. Raven felt a knot form in her stomach. Her shoulders relaxed a little when the green Titan politely moved away from the New Zealander girl.

Raven knew she didn't really have the right to feel jealous, all things considering, but it was difficult to watch another woman come on to him like that.

After she was satisfied Argent wouldn't continue her flirting, she caught Robin's eye from across the room, and the leader came over, momentarily leaving Starfire who was talking to Red Star and Lightening. Kid Flash turned to Cyborg then as Robin joined them.

"I'm sure Bird Boy's already told you, but the Justice League's been wanting to speak with you," he mentioned.

Cyborg raised an eyebrow, and Robin appeared equally confused. "Why's that?" Cyborg asked.

Kid Flash glanced from Robin to Cyborg and shrugged again. "Huh, maybe they didn't tell you guys. Flash mentioned something about Superman wanting to get in contact with you. Something about some side work for the League."

Robin frowned. "They want Cyborg?"

Kid Flash smirked. "Don't get too butt hurt, Rob. Sounds like they were looking for someone a little older is all."

Robin glared at Kid Flash. "I don't have any interest in working for the League. I was just curious."

The speedster waved him off. "Anyway," he continued, addressing Cyborg, "if you end up joining the League, you should totally tell Flash to stop picking on me. Guy can't stand the fact that I'm faster than him!" As if to prove his point, Kid Flash nodded to Sarah and then zipped off, grabbing Jinx and then heading straight for the buffet table.

Sarah gazed up at Cyborg. "Working with the Justice League? That's a pretty big step."

Cyborg looked at Robin uncomfortably, and the leader also regarded his friend in an uncertain manner. Raven didn't blame them for their awkwardness. If it turned out Cyborg did get an offer to join the League, it could potentially break up the team. She swallowed her own bubble of anxiety, not at all ready to picture that.

"Hey, Man," Cyborg said, patting Robin on the shoulder, "It's probably nothing anyway."

Robin smiled back, but it was a little strained. "Yeah, let's not worry about it now." He glanced up as music started to play. "Besides, I've saved a dance for someone special." He left to find Starfire.

"I think he might be on to something," Sarah commented slyly, taking Cyborg in her arms and whisking him onto the dance floor.

Raven stood awkwardly in the center of the courtyard for several moments as people started to couple off around her. She walked over to the side to give room for the dancing couples, and she couldn't help but notice who was paired off with whom.

There were the obvious couples, of course, like Jericho and Kole, Kid Flash and Jinx, Argent and Hotspot-Raven _knew_ she had come with him-but there were also a few surprises as well. Bumblebee and Herald were pressed close together in a way that certainly didn't indicate they were just friends. Aqualad and Pantha were dancing which was an extremely odd sight to behold. Then there was Speedy, who had brought a girl named Jade. She seemed oddly familiar. Other than Sarah, she was the only other non-Titan at the party.

Raven found herself pressed close to the hideous ice sculpture of The Brain. Well maybe now would be a good time to sneak off to one of those private gardens. Just as she made her decision, she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned her head to see Beast Boy scuffling his foot.

"Would you maybe want to, like, dance or something?" he asked, not really looking her in the eye.

Raven felt her heart pound nervously. Here? Right now? In front of all these people? "I c-can't," she stammered.

He looked thoroughly disappointed and Raven felt a sharp stab of guilt. "Maybe we could go for a walk in the hedge garden?" she suggested. "Just the two of us?"

Beast Boy seemed content with this alternative plan, for he smiled and took her hand. The two Titans disappeared into the underbrush of the garden unseen by the others.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _This particular "episode" is another two-parter. The continuation will be posted very soon._


	13. Network pt 2

**Author's Note:** _Some mature content below._

 _PLEASE READ:_

 _Just a quick update! A couple of people have contacted me because they are confused with the set up of the story. As I've said before, this story will be in the style of the show, so each chapter will qualify as an "episode." Although the action plots may not connect from chapter to chapter, the character arcs will, similarly to how the show set it up. For this story, the connecting episodes have to do with Starfire's backstory because she was not given her own season. Nonetheless, this of course is still a BB/Rae story._

 _I normally hate writing stories where the plot doesn't connect from chapter to chapter but I decided this story would be the exception since it is technically a "season six" story. A lot of the show's episodes were standalones and others connected back to a bigger plot, this is what I intended for this story. You can expect that the action portion of the season finale will have to do with Starfire's background._

 _Hope that clears things up for the people that were asking!_

~0~0~0~

Raven couldn't help but feel a little rebellious as she let Beast Boy lead her away from the party and into the hedge labyrinth. They could still hear the music playing from hidden speakers around the private area, but it was quiet enough that it faded into the background. There was barely any light at all except for the tiny individual bulbs sprinkled along the hedges and of course, the light of the moon.

He let go of her hand and the two walked side-by-side, navigating the labyrinth and half-heartedly trying to locate its center.

"You enjoying the party?" Beast Boy asked, casting her a sidelong glance.

Raven shrugged. "It's better than I expected," she told him honestly.

"The ice sculpture was my idea."

"I'm shocked."

He grinned, reaching down for her hand, but then thinking better of it. He let it hang by his side instead. "We aren't the only ones sneaking off you know."

"What do you mean?" Raven asked, frowning.

Beast Boy covered his snicker with his hand. "I saw Robin and Star heading to one of those little pond areas."

Raven stopped in her tracks. Maybe Starfire had decided to tell Robin how she felt after all. She hoped everything went well and that Robin wasn't a complete moron.

"What's wrong?" Beast Boy questioned, confused by her reaction.

She shook her head, her violet curls jostling. She wasn't about to share Starfire's secret without her permission, even if it was Beast Boy. "Nothing. Never mind."

Beast Boy shrugged and the two continued walking. Raven was glad she had worn her regular shoes, for she didn't think she could walk all this way in heels. She didn't know how some girls did it.

When the two finally came to the center, they stared at the statue in front of them.

"Who's that supposed to be?" Beast Boy asked.

"It's Athena, the goddess of War and Wisdom."

"Huh. Aren't there supposed to be like constellations of the gods and stuff?"

"They're more like legends," she corrected him, sitting down on one of the stone benches. He joined her and she raised an arm to point at the sky, her bare shoulder glowing in the moonlight.

"That's Orion's Belt," she explained, "And that's the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper…and that right there is the North Star."

"Cool," Beast Boy breathed, following her finger.

Raven put her hand down on the cool stone of the bench. "When I lived on Azarath, we had different constellations of course. I used to think that if I stared hard enough, I could make out the lines connecting the stars that formed them. My mother told me it was just my eyes playing tricks on me."

"You've never told me about your mother."

Raven sighed. "It's been so long since I've thought of her. She was human, you know. Born in Gotham City before she was taken to Azarath…It's sort of complicated. She spent most of her life feeling lost and…sometimes I feel as though she passed that down to me."

She felt his fingers cover her own. She gazed up to see he was staring at her with an intense look in his eyes.

"You know I'll always be there for you, right Rae? Even when you don't want me to be."

Raven stared at their joined hands, even now feeling her powers bubbling to the surface. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as he leaned in to touch his lips to her cheek. The tip of his nose trailed along her jaw.

"I've missed you," he breathed.

Emotions be damned. She turned her head to catch his lips without a second thought. They moved together slowly, delicately, as if they were afraid one wrong movement could send her powers over the edge. Raven shuddered as his hand came up to rest against her neck, tracing his thumb downwards. The way his tongue moved back and forth, so agonizingly slow, made her ache.

It was like he was making love to her mouth.

Raven pulled away, panting. Beast Boy's cheeks were tinged with pink and his eyes were glazed over. Now would be a good time to head back to the party. Now would be a good time for her common sense to actually kick in.

Neither of those things happened.

"I'm not feeling well," she said.

"Huh?" he asked, thrown off by the sudden change in her tone.

"Tell Robin I'm not feeling well, and that you need to take me back to the Tower," she told him, staring at him seriously.

Beast Boy seemed to realize what she was getting at and straightened immediately. He jumped up from the bench. "Give me one sec," he said, pulling out his communicator.

After he had phoned in to Robin, he turned to her in anticipation, waiting for her next move. She stepped close to him, and they were wrapped in her powers. When her black energy released them, they were back in ops.

They were on each other in an instant.

Their mouths joined together, kissing feverishly as they kicked off their shoes. His arms circled her torso, and his mouth latched onto her neck, sucking her skin.

"I wanted to do this ever since I saw you in that dress," he whispered huskily.

Raven tore off his bowtie and removed his suit jacket, struggling with the buttons and then ultimately giving up on them. Her hands removed his shirt from his pants, so she could press them against his naked torso. She couldn't believe she was touching the parts of him she was ogling in the training room all those months ago. She hated to admit it, but Cyborg had been right to make fun of her.

She froze at the thought of the others. She pulled back a little to speak, but it was difficult considering Beast Boy was still hungrily necking her.

"We should go to my room," she managed.

"Why?" he asked in between kisses. "The party isn't over for a couple more hours."

"I just don't think we should undress here."

That made him freeze. He stepped back from her with a completely bug eyed expression. He placed a finger in one of his ears and pretended to clean out ear wax.

"Um…what was that Rae-Rae?"

"Don't make me say it again," she bit back, blushing madly. She levitated the items on the floor that had already been discarded and walked with purpose to her room. She heard his frantic footsteps behind her a moment later.

As the door to her room shut behind them, Raven braced herself against her dresser, trying to concentrate.

"Uh, Raven?"

"What?" she wheezed out.

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Raven turned around confused. "What makes you think I wouldn't want to?"

He looked embarrassed for even bringing up the topic. "I just don't want you to think you have to because…I was upset that you wanted a break."

"Beast Boy, I've told you. The only reason I wanted a break in the first place was so I could keep my powers from lashing out again. I _want_ to do this."

"And your powers?" he asked skeptically. "I thought you said they acted out when you feel…things. Won't they go crazy if we…if you…um-"

"Out with it," she pressed, starting to get irritated.

Beast Boy looked from side to side as if someone were eavesdropping. "Do it," he whispered, and then covered his mouth as if he were saying a naughty word.

Raven raised her eyebrows. "What makes you think we were going to have sex?"

Beast Boy paled. Then he turned red. "Nothing! I didn't think that! We definitely aren't going to! That would be so random, and besides we don't even have anything to block the-ya know- _stuff,_ and Robin would be so mad if there were green demon babies running around and-"

"Gar, relax," Raven interrupted, amused but also slightly relieved he seemed just as nervous as her. "Why don't we just…see what happens. Okay?"

Beast Boy nodded, calming down significantly. "Uh, yeah. That sounds good."

"Good. As for my powers…I'll have control over them, as long as we take our time," she told him.

Beast Boy nodded again, standing awkwardly in the center of her room. He was kind of adorable in this state; his hair completely disheveled and his shirt un-tucked, his lips a little swollen. Raven couldn't help but stare; he was kind of sexy, goddamn it.

Maybe it was his appearance, or maybe it was that she now knew for a fact he was bumbling through this just as much as she was, but suddenly she felt like doing something bold. Remembering the playful advice Starfire had given her, Raven carefully reached behind her back. Taking a deep breath, she took a page out of her friend's book and unzipped the back of her dress, letting it fall to the floor in a navy pool of satin.

Only a few candles lit Raven's room, so it was by no means bright, but she could still make out the faint line of sweat that appeared on Beast Boy's forehead when he saw her.

She had the urge to give in and cross her arms over her bare chest like the coward she was, but she forced down her anxiety and stepped over the dress on the floor. She was painfully aware the only thing covering her was the cotton black thong she had worn that evening. Suddenly her plan didn't seem so spectacular when she observed he was still wearing all of his clothes.

"Uh…" he said unintelligently.

"Just kiss me," she muttered before she could decide to phase through her floor.

Beast Boy didn't need to be told twice, which was good for his sake. His mouth covered hers as she wrestled with his shirt buttons, finally undoing them and throwing his shirt to the side. They broke apart briefly so he could remove his undershirt and belt before rejoining again. His hands looped under the backs of her knees and lifted her onto the bed. He climbed over her, their mouths still attached, as his hands carefully trailed up her exposed ribcage. Raven used the tips of her toes to tug down his pants until they were around his ankles. He stepped out of them, and Raven paused their make out session as she observed his boxers. She gave him a deadpan look once she realized they were decorated with _Mega Monkeys._

He grinned sheepishly. "Um, I guess I'll wear some other ones next time."

Raven rolled her eyes before placing a hand on the back of his neck and bringing him to her again.

After a moment he pulled back his head so their noses still touched and looked down at her bashfully. "Um…so you probably already know this…but I kind of have no idea what I'm doing," he admitted.

 _I'll need to remember to thank Starfire later,_ Raven thought, recalling the other piece of advice her orange friend had given her. She took his hand in hers, marveling at the different colors of their skin for a moment. She finally met his eyes. He stared back at her, extremely excited but also absolutely terrified. As she helped his hand downwards she couldn't help but think her eyes must have looked the exact same way.

~0~0~0~

She opened her eyes, feeling a little nervous again after the heat of the moment was gone. If he was nervous, however, he didn't show it. His cheeks were flushed, and his hair was ruffled. His eyes were dark, as his pupils remained dilated.

"That. Was. _Awesome,_ " he breathed.

Raven really didn't know what to say to that, so she brought his lips to hers again. He eagerly responded, bracing his palms on either side of her head.

He propped himself on his elbows, dipping his head so his lips touched her neck. "You can talk dirty if you want," he suggested, nuzzling her neck.

Raven pulled back so she could look at him with a horrified expression. Beast Boy noticed her face and dipped his head so he chuckled against her neck. "Or not."

 _Yeah, that's what I thought,_ Raven thought, still completely flustered.

He lay next to her, lazily kissing her shoulder.

"We should definitely do that again sometime," he said cheekily, to which she smirked in response. He lifted his head. "How was it for you? Was it okay?"

"It was…nice."

"Nice?" he said, waggling his eyebrows.

She shoved at his chest. "Don't push it." She sat up, clipping her bra from earlier that morning back into place. "I hope you weren't disappointed," she said turning to him with a smirk on her face, "Considering we didn't 'do it' as you so eloquently mentioned."

He blushed a deep red. "Whatever," he responded, trying to roll his eyes nonchalantly. He watched as she moved over to her dresser to pick out her uniform. He came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her naked shoulder. "We don't have to get dressed yet, if you don't want."

"Oh really?" she said, sticking her pointer finger in the waistband of his boxers and letting it snap against his hip.

"Yeah I mean...it's a nice night for a swim."

She spun around, and he released her. She crossed her arms, cocking an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting we go skinny dipping?"

He shrugged. "Is it skinny dipping if we have underwear on?"

Raven turned back to her dresser. She was already pushing it as it was. She cursed as she noticed a crack in the wood of her bureau; one that certainly wasn't there an hour earlier.

"I'm nervous about my powers," she told him, spinning to face him once more. She narrowed her eyes. "Especially if you try to pull something."

Beast Boy raised his hands in surrender. "I won't, I swear. It'll just be a swim."

Raven closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "We're bringing our uniforms down with us," she said sternly, but feeling her shoulders relax despite herself.

Beast Boy beamed. "You got it."

As they snuck down the darkened hallways in their underwear, their clothes bundled up in their arms; Raven couldn't help but feel…human. It was strange, feeling just like a regular teenager, yet here she was sneaking around with a young lover as if it were after-prom. She kind of liked the sensation.

They placed their clothes on the rocks by the base of the Tower. Raven tucked a violet curl behind her ear as the wind rustled her hair. She walked with Beast Boy down to the edge of the shore where the water met the sand. She dipped her big toe in, shivering at the cool temperature.

"It's cold," she complained.

He smiled at her, his tooth jutting out. "It helps if you're a penguin."

She glared at him. "No way. If I'm getting in, you can't cheat by changing."

Beast Boy huffed. "Fine, Rae. You win."

The empath stuck her chin out, fairly pleased with the condition she had made. She flinched as Beast Boy ran past her, splashing messily into the water and spraying some of the droplets onto her bare skin. When he was deep enough he dove, completely submerging himself. He popped up a few moments later, shaking his head. True to his word, he remained in his human form.

"Come on in R-Rae," he called, trying to keep his teeth from chattering. "T-the water's great!"

Raven rolled her eyes but levitated to where he was. She hovered above him, not at all keen to jump enter the water. "You're not really providing a compelling argument," she quipped.

He smirked and splashed water at her, causing her skin to prickle in goose bumps. Eager to stop his splashing, she forced herself under the water, emerging seconds later. She gripped her arms, gritting her own teeth.

"I hope you're h-happy," she stammered, her damp hair sticking to her face. Beast Boy swam over to her and gently moved the purple strand from her cheek. He leaned into kiss her, his tongue tracing her bottom lip. "I thought you weren't gonna try anything," she murmured against his mouth.

She felt his hands grips her hips beneath the water. "Just tell me when to stop," he replied, moving his to cup her jaw.

They broke apart as they heard a noise above them. Both Titans glanced at the Tower as a couple of lights flickered on through the windows.

Raven bit her lip. "The others are back."

Beast Boy sighed, disappointed. "I wish this night could have lasted longer. No pun intended."

She whacked his shoulder, but gave him an affectionate smile. "I know what you mean." She paused. "We should…go on another date sometime soon."

His expression couldn't have been more overjoyed as he took her face in his hands once more and kissed her feverishly. Even now, Raven could feel the familiar bubble of heat in her stomach. She pulled away. "We should get out and dry off."

He smirked at her as he swam to the shore and began to gather his clothes. "True. You do have that cold to get over after all." He winked, referring to her white lie from earlier.

Raven chucked one of her shoes at his head.

~0~0~0~

"You need to take your time, you shouldn't push yourself if you want to keep control of your powers," Knowledge insisted.

"Eh, you can handle it!" Brave asserted.

"But what if you can't, and he resents you for it?" Timid whimpered.

"I'm sure it will work out!" Happy cheered.

"Unless he decides he likes Argent after all," Jealousy said, crossing her arms. Well, _she_ was new.

"With an ass like his, I hope it works out," Passion said, winking.

Raven rubbed her temples, already regretting her trip to Nevermore. It had been ages since she visited though, and she was long overdue for a trip.

"Look," she began, cutting all of their yammering off, "I really only need to speak to Knowledge right now, okay?"

"You always need to speak to her," Rage growled, "The rest of us aren't chopped liver you know."

Rude belched. "Whatever Raven, I'm over it."

"Well I'm already here, so I guess I'll just stay and listen," Sloth mumbled, taking a seat.

Raven sighed, crossing her arms and facing Knowledge. "How long do you think it will take to completely heal my mind from Phobia's attack?"

"I'm surprised you're even asking me that," Knowledge replied. "I only know what you know."

"I thought there was something my subconscious might know that I couldn't remember consciously."

Knowledge smiled. "In that case, I can tell you what I already know. As long as you don't push yourself too much emotionally, you'll be fine. That means no bursts of anger, no crying fits, and no declarations of love."

A couple of her emoticlones perked up as they were referenced. Raven made a face at the last one, but didn't say anything more on the subject. "Thanks Knowledge. I'll do my best."

Knowledge nodded. "Of course. Although I don't know exactly when your mind will be completely healed, I think it's safe to say if you can get through the rest of this week, you will be fine."

Raven nodded, giving the others a salute of goodbye, which was met with various reactions. She phased back into her room after that.

When she made herself presentable for the day, she entered ops and went over to the kitchen to brew tea. Robin looked up from where he was by the scanners at the sound of her entrance. He walked over to the counter and leaned against it.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"What are you talking about?" Raven said, heating the kettle.

"Beast Boy said you had to leave early last night because you weren't feeling well."

"Oh," Raven replied, glad her back was turned to the Boy Wonder, so he couldn't see her flounder. "Yes I am."

"It's because of Phobia's attack, wasn't it?" he observed, his hand on his chin.

 _Well at least that's true._ "Yes. I should be fully recovered by next week."

Robin nodded. "That's good to hear."

Raven took the kettle off the burner and began to pour the hot water into her mug. She knew she shouldn't ask, but she was awfully curious about how the events of last night had progressed after she and Beast Boy left. And seeing as how only she and Robin were in the room…

"Did you have fun with Starfire?" she inquired, trying to sound offhand. She placed a teabag into her drink. She watched him stiffen for a moment, and then narrow his eyes in concern.

"Did she…say anything to you about last night?"

Raven shrugged. "She didn't need to. Your emotions are screaming at me."

"Oh, sorry."

"It's fine."

Robin shifted, glancing at the ops door as if he thought Starfire would burst through into the room at any moment. He scratched the back of his neck, tilting his head to the side in a fashion Raven knew meant he was extremely uncomfortable.

"She told me something big last night," he finally said.

Raven nodded carefully. "…And this is bothering you?"

"No, well, yes. It's complicated."

The empath finished making her tea and gently blew across the top of it. "Care to explain?" she asked dryly.

He straightened. "She told me she loved me."

"And you…?"

"I said I loved her back."

Raven regarded him. "And yet you don't seem overjoyed."

Robin fidgeted with his gloves. "I do. I know I do. I meant every word but…I can't tell if it's the type of love she means; the type of love that means forever, the type where we never have to find excuses."

Raven studied his expression, seeing quite clearly how lost he felt. This was going to be a strain on their relationship no matter what. Robin may love her, but if it ended up not being the type of love _she_ felt, then it could break them. It could break _her._ Starfire's powers relied on her emotions. This knowledge could place an enormous burden on Robin. If he didn't end up feeling the same, he wouldn't want to lie to her, but he also wouldn't want to shatter her either. It was a tricky spot to be in, to say the least.

"Robin," Raven began, "You do love her, don't you?"

"Of course."

"Then why does it matter what kind of love it is? You want to be with her, don't you? Stop worrying about what could or might be, and focus on the fact that you have something good in front of you. Don't overanalyze it. She isn't a mission; don't ever treat her like one," she finished, staring at him intensely.

Robin froze during her speech, but when she finished his mouth quirked up in a half-smile. "Thanks Raven. I think that's exactly what I needed to hear."

Raven nodded, accepting his thanks. She took a sip of her tea, realizing it had quickly gone luke-warm. The two stood in comfortable silence until Robin broke it.

"So," he said hesitantly, "you and Beast Boy…"

"I don't want to talk about it."

~0~0~0~

Beast Boy plucked another piece of cotton candy and placed it in his mouth, smiling when it dissolved. He offered his stick to Raven, but she politely declined. They had been wandering down the boardwalk for some time, looking at the different stands. Beast Boy had won her another prize; a miniature stuffed version of himself. Raven thought she preferred the chicken.

As people started to filter out when it became late in the evening, the music playing overhead died down to a gentle hum. Beast Boy finished his cotton candy and threw his stick in the trash. The two Titans made themselves comfortable on one of the benches overlooking the pinks and blues of dusk.

"Kid Flash mentioned the Justice League might be interested in Cyborg," Raven said suddenly, not realizing the topic had been on her mind.

Beast Boy looked at her funnily. "Like, to recruit him?"

Raven shook her head. "I'm not sure. It's strange to think about."

"Yeah," Beast Boy said absently. "I guess it kinda makes sense though."

"Why's that?"

The changeling shrugged. "Cy's the oldest of us. I mean like, he's not even a _teen_ anymore. I just don't think it's crazy for him to want to join the League if they offered."

"What would that mean for us?" Raven asked softly. She didn't specify if she was talking about the team or them, for she didn't even really know herself.

Beast Boy smiled. "Well I don't know about you, but I'm not planning on leaving the Titans for at least another few years."

Raven nodded. "I feel the same."

"Don't think Star would want to leave right away either. She fits really well here. Maybe she'll even become leader one day."

Raven thought about this. She had never pictured Starfire leading the Titans before, but it did make sense now that she thought about it. Robin had left his former mentor with the intent to work on his own. The Titans were an unexpected, but a welcome surprise for him. Even so, eventually he would probably want to go solo for a while, if only because he had never done it before. With Cyborg also potentially joining the League, Starfire would be the next obvious choice as leader. Of course that meant the five of them wouldn't see each other nearly as much anymore.

"I don't like thinking about the future," she commented, staring at the ocean sadly.

"Me either," he replied, interlocking their fingers. "That's why I carry this around," he added, taking out his penny.

Raven smiled, glad her gift meant so much to him. She glanced at the speaker next to her as it began to play slow orchestral music. The graceful music mixed with the peaceful scenery made for a very pleasant evening. She felt Beast Boy shift uneasily beside her, and she turned to him in confusion.

"Is something troubling you?" she inquired, her eyebrows raised.

Beast Boy released her hand and brushed anxiously at his legs. "No. It's just I thought…since we left the formal early and all…and there aren't many people around right now…"

"Say it, Gar," Raven ordered.

"Would you wanna dance with me?" he rushed out, standing abruptly and holding out his upturned hand.

Raven stared at him. "Is this really important to you?"

"Well, I just thought it could be fun I guess," he answered, not making eye contact with her.

She really wasn't a dancer, and he must have known that since he seemed like he was expecting her rejection. Despite her desire to turn down his offer, she remembered all of the little things he had done for her in order to make her feel more comfortable. So when she placed her hand on top of his, she found his excited reaction made it all worth it.

He guided her over to the middle of the dock, so they were still able to hear the music. Raven had to admit, she wasn't as self-conscious as she thought she would be; maybe it had to do with the lack of people. Beast Boy placed one hand on her waist, and the other held her hand. She gingerly put her hand on his shoulder, and they started to move to the music.

It felt odd, touching each other this way in public. It wasn't exactly intimate, but then again she couldn't see herself doing this with Robin or Cyborg either, at least not in this setting. She wondered if anyone could see them, but after a few moments, she found she didn't care.

She held his gaze as they moved; surprised that she didn't feel awkward or anxious in the slightest. He smiled softly as he looked at her; his eyes lit with affection. She mirrored his expression, finding it impossible not to smile back.

They kept dancing long after the music system had shut down for the night. When the moon began to rise overhead, they came to stop. Beast Boy still watched her in a way that made her stomach flip. She didn't stop him as he lifted onto his tiptoes so their lips could meet.

Raven could feel the crackle of her powers; the familiar warning that things could go awry if she wasn't careful. Instead of becoming concerned about it, however, she felt herself relax into his touch, and the crackling eventually calmed.

Something told her she wouldn't have to worry about losing control for a long time.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _The line from Robin about "the type of love that means forever; the type of love where they would never have to find excuses" is from the actual comics. In that scene, Robin and Star are in a swimming pool, and Star is the one to say the line when she asks him if he loves her in that way. He says no. GOD, Robin in the comics sucks. Anyways, I wanted to include some of that uncertainty and struggle in my story, because it would put a ton of pressure on someone if they knew their significant other would love them eternally._

 _Moving on, it's been a while since we've had another Starfire culture/background chapter. As I've said before, I want to make sure I include a lot of adventures involving Tamaranean culture given that Starfire was never given a sixth season. I've got one word for you: Psions._

 _Finally, I've tried to make the bedroom scenes romantic, but also realistic. I just can't make myself write these characters as if they are automatically godly sex wizards, and I'm sure many people can relate to the sheer awkwardness and awe of being in a situation like that for the first time. Note to self: Never use the phrase "godly sex wizards" again._


	14. Psions

**Author's Note:** _I can't believe I have almost a hundred followers for this story. Thank you to everyone who is reading my work. Just a reminder to all those followers that it really means a lot to review, even if it's just to say hi or ask a question. It helps me know what you like and don't like about my story. It also makes me feel like writing all of this was worth it. :)_

~0~0~0~

Raven's head smacked against her pillow as she pulled Beast Boy on top of her. Their mouths moved feverishly as their hands wandered without hesitation. They had been dating for close to two months, and in that time each of them had become more comfortable with each other when they were intimate.

That being said, nothing had really progressed further than the night of the Titans' formal. After a brief discussion, they had both decided it was best not to rush things, given this was both of their first real relationships.

 _Easier said then done,_ she thought, as his hands fumbled with the clasp of her bra. The garment was hastily removed along with his uniform.

Then the knock on her door sounded.

They both froze, Beast Boy lifting off the bed to make eye contact with her. His eyes were wide and panicked, and she was sure hers looked the same.

It's not that they were keeping their relationship from their friends; rather they just hadn't had the proper time to tell them they were official. The other Titans had already been speculating since the formal that something was going on between them, but something told Raven that their current state would be a bit of a shock to her friends.

Beast Boy scampered over to the corner of her room, turning into a mouse. Raven quickly put on her clothes and opened the door to find Robin standing on the other side.

"What is it?" she asked, trying to sound like her usual dry self.

Robin raised his mask at her skeptically, undoubtedly confused by her matted hair and flushed cheeks. "Are you okay?"

"I just woke up from a nap," she responded, attempting to sound irritated. It wasn't hard considering she _had been_ interrupted.

"Sorry, but we need to have a meeting in ops. Do you know where Beast Boy is?" Robin asked.

Raven tried to give him a bland look. "Do I look like I know what he does in his spare time?" It was a hard lie to tell, especially since Beast Boy had switched into a cat and was currently nuzzling her leg.

Robin sighed in annoyance. "Well meet us in ops in twenty minutes. Hopefully we can find him by then."

Raven nodded, shutting her door and then glaring at Beast Boy until he shifted back into a human. She sighed. "Sorry about that."

He grinned. "It's okay. Sucks that we had to pause though, I was really enjoying myself." He then made a pained face and adjusted himself through his boxers.

Raven raised her eyebrows. "Uh, you okay?"

Beast Boy winced. "Not gonna lie, I might have to take care of this," he told her gesturing downwards. "Sorry," he said, reaching for himself.

She stopped his hand and he looked up at her in confusion. She smiled evilly at him. "You heard Robin. We still have twenty minutes."

His face shifted from bemusement to excitement as the two toppled onto Raven's bed once more.

~0~0~0~

"There have been sightings of strange spacecrafts around Earth's atmosphere," Robin explained once they were all in ops. "All we have is this distorted image." He pressed a button on the control panel, and the massive screen displayed said image for them to observe.

Raven felt Starfire stiffen beside her. She took a good look at the fuzzy picture, not seeing any defining details.

"Green Lantern sent me this picture," Robin explained. "We aren't completely sure what they could be, but if they are still there-"

"Psions," Starfire interrupted, her posture tense. "They are Psions. Lizard-like beings whose only purpose is to exploit and experiment on other species."

Raven knew little to nothing about Psions, and by Beast Boy and Cyborg's expressions, they were in the same boat as her. Robin's face twisted into a horrified look for just a moment before he regained control. Whatever these creatures were, they were apparently extremely dangerous.

"Green Lantern thought that could be a possibility…but I guess I didn't really believe him," Robin muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

"Why's it so hard to believe they would be near Earth?" Cyborg asked.

Starfire stood up, walking to stand by Robin. "The Green Lanterns do not approve of the Psions' ways, but they do not interfere. There has been much debate amongst them regarding whether or not they should put an end to their torturous experiments. The only thing preventing them is the Psions' decision to stay within the Vegan System." She turned to look at the picture thoughtfully. "If it is true, and these are their ships, then they have crossed the boundary the Green Lanterns have set up for them. They would now be able to actively put a stop to the Psions' way of life."

"How do you know so much about them, Star?" Beast Boy questioned.

Starfire shut her eyes briefly, a pained expression crossing her face. Robin placed a hand on her shoulder, and she opened her eyes, giving him a weak smile.

"They experimented on my sister and me," she explained. "We were barely able to escape with our lives. If the Psions truly are here, then we must go up to make sure. It is the only way for the Green Lanterns to finally stop the terror they bring." She brought her hands together. "If we do partake in this mission, I beg you friends, please do not engage with them. If you are captured, escaping will be nearly impossible."

"How did you escape Starfire?" Raven asked carefully.

Starfire gave her a saddened smile. "There is only one good thing to come out of the Psions' experimentations on me." She lifted up her hand and produced a starbolt. "The result was this."

~0~0~0~

Starfire's words rang in Raven's ear even after they had broken the Earth's atmosphere in the T-Ship. They began literally circling the Earth, scouring the areas where there might have been spacecrafts.

After about two hours in, Beast Boy let out a loud groan. " _Dudes_ , I'd do anything to get out of this ship right now."

"Maybe we should move away from Earth," Cyborg suggested. "I don't see anything on the scanners indicating any unusual objects."

"Alright," Robin sighed. "Let's move in the direction of the Vegan System. Who knows, maybe we'll find something along the way."

Another hour passed into their travel, and Beast Boy began banging his head repeatedly against his controls.

"Would you quit it?" Raven snapped, also irritated from being cooped up.

"You and Star have it easy," he fired back. "You can leave the ship whenever."

"Technically you can too," Cyborg chimed in.

"What?" Robin and Beast Boy asked at the same time.

Raven could practically _hear_ Cyborg's smile. "I made some modifications to the T-Ship. Put in some spacesuits in the left hand storage compartment for us guys, in case of emergencies."

"Does this really qualify as an emergency?" Raven asked blandly.

"Yes!" Beast Boy shouted, causing her to move her headset away in irritation.

"I guess there's no harm if he tests it out for a bit," Robin relented. "As long as you go out with him, Raven."

Her jaw dropped. "Me? Why me?"

"He needs someone there to keep him from drifting away and…I don't think Star's comfortable with going out right now."

Raven calmed down. He had a point. Starfire had been silent for most of the trip. She had engaged in light conversation in the beginning, but as they approached the boundary to the Vegan System, she hadn't uttered a peep.

"Fine," Raven sighed, pressing the emergency hatch on her pod and drifting into space. She levitated over to Beast Boy's pod and watched him wrestle with his suit and helmet for several moments. After he paused so Cyborg could give him instructions on how to operate the suit, he secured his helmet and emerged from his pod.

Raven looped her hands under his armpits and floated them away from the T-Ship, scanning the area as they did so.

"This is pretty cool," Beast Boy said, his voice coming out gravelly due to the suit's speaker system.

"Glad you're enjoying yourself."

"Hey let's pass through that nebula over there."

"No. I don't want to lose sight of the others," she replied, glancing over her shoulder.

Beast Boy crossed his arms but didn't protest. The two of them drifted for a while until Raven lost track of time. She vaguely wondered how close to the Vegan System they were.

"Hey Raven-"

"We're _not_ passing through any nebula," she bit back, annoyed.

"No it's not that! It's-"

A loud crash sounded behind them, and Raven whipped them around in horror. The T-Ship had a dent in its side, and its blasters were posed to fire at the unknown threat around them. Raven squinted her eyes, trying to decipher what was going on, while moving back in the direction of her friends. "What's-"

She never got to finish her question, for a hard object smacked the back of her head, and everything went black.

When Raven woke up, she was shivering. She lay on a hard surface, and her wrists were tugged above her head; her legs splayed. Whatever restraints were keeping her down kept digging into her skin. Her head pounded as her eyes attempted to adjust to the harsh blue light above her. She was gagged and her mouth was covered, leaving her unable to summon her words. It wasn't until something slimy and cold slid up her leg did she realize she was completely naked.

She tossed her head wildly from side to side, grunting in panic. As she whipped her head to the left she saw Beast Boy also bound to a table. He too was completely naked except for a tight, metal collar secured around his neck. He lay with his eyes closed, breathing shallowly.

The slimy hand removed itself from her leg, and Raven heard voices speaking in a language she didn't understand. Two of them walked into her line of vision, so she could get a good look at their captors.

They were absolutely hideous. Their skin was a sickly green with bulbous protrusions lining their skulls and mouths. Their eyes were black and soulless, their hands moldy and misshapen. Raven felt dread course throughout her entire body.

These had to be Psions.

One of them called something to the others and they surrounded her, cutting into her, shocking her with their machines. Raven's muffled voice came out strained and desperate as the pain rushed to every part of her body. At her cries, Beast Boy stirred, moaning in pain.

The Psions paused their work on her, and moved to his table. She watched through half-lidded eyes as they activated the collar he was wearing. Vicious red shocks shivered up his body and he screamed, his eyes popping open. Raven's own gagged cries at the sight of his torture were muffled by his violent ones. After what felt like several minutes, his body shifted from human to monkey to dog and then back to human. His restraints adjusted to fit his body as he transformed each time.

Hot tears raced down Raven's cheeks, mixing with her cooling blood on the table. Every once in a while a Psion would come over to her and draw blood or prod her painfully, but they seemed to be far more interested in Beast Boy. Maybe they had never seen a metahuman before.

Another round of shocks entered his body, and he cried out again. Tears streamed down his cheeks as his body convulsed brutally.

 _Please,_ she thought desperately, _leave him alone. Take me instead._

Hours seemed to pass before they were finally done with them for the time being. They left the room, sealing the doors shut behind them.

Raven struggled desperately against her restraints. She tried yelling, but her gag was too deep. She turned her head to look at Beast Boy, his body covered in bruises and blood. Every breath he took made his chest shudder as if something was partly blocking his air passages. Raven attempted to summon her powers in her weakened state without the use of her mantra. She could feel her energy crackling beneath her skin, but she was far too injured to use it without her words.

Tears of frustration fell from her eyes as she choked on her gag. They would die here; she was sure of it. What's worse was that she had failed Garfield. She was helpless to stop the endless experimentation on his body. She closed her eyes, trying to regain some of her concentration. Feeling sorry for herself wouldn't help him. She needed to form a plan.

Or she needed to create a distraction.

She was woken from her fitful sleep many hours later. The harsh blue light that poured down on her was starting to singe her skin. As before, the Psions shocked her and prodded her relentlessly, running their tests. They ran their sticky hands over her shoulders and breasts, sticking strange devices into her ears. She grew hopeful for a moment when they tore the cover off her mouth, but they replaced it with a fresh cover that hadn't been dampened from her saliva due to the gag.

They muttered to each other for a while, but once again grew bored with her after a time. Several of them continued to violate her for the sake of their research, while the majority turned their attention to Beast Boy's table.

He hadn't stirred the entire night.

As the Psions crowded around, his body was blocked from Raven's view. She began to thrash wildly, screaming the best she could. It wasn't working. They barely even noticed her. She heard the telltale shocking noise Beast Boy's collar made, and she knew they were hurting him again. Yesterday he had screamed, but today he only moaned. Unable to bear the thought of him being tortured any longer, Raven did the one thing she swore to never do.

She lost her mind.

Her eyes glowed white, and then red. She grew a second set of eyes and thrashed violently, her energy crackling dangerously. The Psions stopped their experimentation on Beast Boy and turned to her, their eyes wide in fascination. Still unable to unleash her full power with her mouth gagged, Raven let the energy consume her. A black force field emerged from her chest and knocked the Psions backwards. It sheltered her and Beast Boy, preventing these cruel monsters from hurting them again.

Raven screamed through her gag, knowing she couldn't hold the field forever. Her head smacked against the table as her shield broke. She breathed heavily, knowing she didn't have another attack in her. She had bought them some time at least. If they were to die here, at least she knew she did everything she could have.

The Psions muttered to themselves in a tone that sounded angry. They started to approach Raven and Beast Boy. Some of them held additional bondage in their hands that Raven was sure she had no chance of breaking. They leaned toward her…

The door to the lab exploded off its hinges in a green burst of light. Raven glanced weakly in the direction of the crash. It took her a moment to see who it was, partly because her vision was obscured, but also because whoever the intruder was, moved like lightening. Raven's senses were weak, but she could make out ferocious pulses of energy and red hair and knew at once it was Starfire.

Raven barely recognized her though. She had never seen her friend so angry or so vicious. The alien practically frothed at the mouth, her eyes glowing bright and her firsts pulsing with righteous fury. She sent a massive wave of energy at the Psions surrounding her and Beast Boy, effectively obliterating some. She moved in a flash, cracking the skulls of some, burning the skin of others. She screamed in Tamaranean, letting loose the full fury of all of her training on Okaara. When she had finished, every single Psion was on the ground, and none were moving.

Cyborg and Robin crashed through the doorway a moment later, gazing around the room in horror. Their eyes landed on Raven and Beast Boy next. Raven heard Cyborg make a choked sort of sound, and Robin sank to his knees.

Starfire collapsed on the ground and wailed, her eyes still glowing with energy. Raven felt the cover ripped from her mouth, and her gag was removed. Cyborg stared down at her, his eyes filling with tears.

"Hey Rae…" he said, at a loss for words.

"Beast Boy," she croaked out. Then everything went dark.

~0~0~0~

Raven woke to the sound of screaming, but this time it was female not male. She lifted a hand to her pounding head and noticed chafing on her wrist. Come to think of it, why was her wrist even exposed?

She sat up slowly and realized she was in a hospital gown in the infirmary. Beast Boy lay to her left, an oxygen mask over his face. His breathing was a little uneven, but his heart rate seemed fairly steady.

Raven looked slightly to her right and discovered they weren't alone. Robin sat on a stool by the infirmary's control panels. When he saw she was awake, he stood up and walked to her bedside.

"What…" she started to ask, but was surprised to find her voice was still hoarse from screaming. She clutched her throat and Robin hurriedly handed her the glass of water on her bedside table. She chugged it greedily, not caring if some dribbled down her chin. When she finished, Robin took the glass from her. Instead of launching into what happened, he wrapped his arms around her gently, holding her close to his chest. She felt his shoulders shudder for a moment before he took a deep breath and collected himself. He pulled away from her.

"Robin," Raven said, her voice still shaky, "please…just give it to me straight. I need to know."

Robin sighed, and they both glanced toward the door when Starfire's yelling pierced through the metal barrier once more.

"We found you just on the edge of the Vegan System," he began. "When we breached the spacecraft, Starfire flew ahead of us. She-" he gulped, "wasn't herself. She was so torn with fear and anger about you guys being captured that she unleashed her wrath on the Psions. You were both in rough shape but Beast Boy…" he looked over at the changeling and Raven felt her heart drop.

"Will he be okay?" she whispered.

Robin gripped her hospital bed sheets so tightly she was sure his knuckles were white beneath his gloves. "We won't know for sure until he wakes up."

Raven nodded, ignoring the tightening in her throat. "What's wrong with Starfire?"

"She's currently screaming at Green Lantern via video call," Robin explained. "Apparently since we found you guys within the Vegan System, the Lanterns technically don't have any proof that the Psions were looking for species in the Milky Way."

"That's ridiculous," Raven said, her eyes narrowed. "We were clearly hot on their trail. They had to have just crossed over into the Vegan System when they found us."

"That's why Star's so furious," Robin told her. "She feels helpless that after everything, they still won't actively try to stop the Psions."

Raven shook her head angrily. Her eyes landed on Beast Boy's motionless form. She felt her eyes fill with tears and didn't even bother flinching when Robin leaned in to wipe them away.

"I'm so sorry, Raven," he croaked. He followed her gaze. "Cyborg's doing everything he can to make sure Beast Boy is okay."

"I love him," she heard herself say. She didn't get a chance to gauge Robin's reaction, for she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, and she collapsed back onto her pillows.

She stared at the ceiling until she finally found sleep.

When she woke again, it was early in the morning. She could tell because the first few rays of the sun were pouring onto the floor of the infirmary. She groggily turned over and made eye contact with Beast Boy. He blinked at her.

Raven shot up from her hospital bed and instantly grabbed her head as the pounding started. Luckily, Robin had left her another glass of water, which she gulped down. She rested her feet on the floor, not quite trusting herself to walk yet, so she levitated instead. She came to Beast Boy's bedside and helped him sit up, hugging him tightly to her chest.

"Rae…" he said.

"It's okay. We're safe," she told him softly.

"Rae…ven. Wa…ter."

Raven pulled back sharply and grabbed the water from his bedside table, helping him to drink the liquid. When he finished her gazed at her, his mouth parting. He attempted to speak again.

"They…did…some…" he paused, furrowing his eyebrows. He cleared his throat several times. "I'm…I….can't…" Frustrated tears appeared in his eyes. "Can't…"

Raven pressed her hand to his throat, trying to heal his vocal chords. He gently pushed her away. It took her a moment to realize what he was trying to tell her. It wasn't a problem with his throat; it was his brain. He was having trouble even finishing a sentence.

Raven crouched down very slowly and leaned on his bed, burying her face into her hands. She sobbed for several minutes, the lights in the room flickering dangerously with each noise she made. She felt his hand thread into her hair, rubbing gently. Her cries eventually quieted until she could no longer feel anything anymore.

~0~0~0~

A week had passed before either of them was cleared to leave the infirmary. Even then they weren't allowed on missions. Raven's powers weren't as affected as she thought they would be, probably due to the fact she was mostly incapacitated for the majority of her capture. Robin still didn't want her be out in the field just yet though, for her own safety.

Beast Boy walked with a slight limp around the Tower, but he had also improved greatly. He had tried transforming once, but had cried out in such a horrifying way that Robin forbade him from trying again. The changeling's speaking hadn't improved either. It got to the point where Robin had pulled Raven aside to ask her if she could help heal Beast Boy's mind. Raven had shown a great deal of hesitance. Healing someone's mind was a tricky business, and she wasn't entirely confident in her abilities at the moment either. She told Robin she would make an effort, however, as soon as she had healed herself.

The nightmares were the worst part.

They all had them; Raven, Beast Boy, and Starfire the worst though. It got to the point where Cyborg had prescribed them a light medication to calm their nerves before they went to bed. Such medicine did not work on Starfire, however, so she spent most of her nights in Robin's room now.

Beast Boy often crawled into Raven's bed for the night as well. On some nights, Raven would even sleep in his room, despite the stuffy smell. Although she had never said anything to the other Titans, her friends seemed to accept t that she and Beast Boy were sort of an item now. She was glad none of them pressed for details.

Starfire would seek the two of them out sometimes just to hold them. She would find Raven and talk about mundane things while she massaged her friend's temples. She would lay her head on Beast Boy's shoulder while they watched _World of Fungus_ together. Raven would be forever grateful to her friend for saving both of their lives.

One morning, when the other Titans were off fighting Mumbo, Beast Boy sat with Raven and attempted to meditate with her. She wasn't in a position to try healing his head yet, but she thought they could try something new to help ease his mind. She was impressed he had tried his hardest for almost an hour before collapsing onto her bed. She lay beside him, not usually one for snuggling, but she made an exception for him.

"I hate being stuck here," Raven said, her hand resting on his chest.

"M-Me…too."

They lay in silence. Raven stared at her wall and counted the beating of his heart.

"Rae?"

"Yes?"

Beast Boy swallowed in the way that he did before he was about to attempt a longer sentence. "P-please don't….don't…shut…m-me…out…again…"

Raven's throat tightened. Even after everything, his main concern was that she would isolate herself. She turned to him and covered his lips with hers. They kissed slowly, their tongues sliding against each other. Raven kissed his bottom lip, and then his cheek, and then his neck. Her hands slid up to hold his jaw, kissing him once more before releasing him. She gently brushed her fingers over his ears, watching his eyes close. She rubbed them with a feather-like touch until the gentle swell of his breathing indicated he had fallen asleep. She placed her head back onto his chest.

"Never again," she whispered, shutting her own eyes.

~0~0~0~

"There you go, Beast Boy!" Robin called encouragingly. "Keep at it!"

Raven watched, mildly anxious as Beast Boy swung through the rings in the Tower's obstacle course in the form of a monkey. He was able to transform into a few small animals such as a monkey or a kitty. He had changed into a badger once before too, but it had been pretty painful for him.

She did have to admit though; he was maneuvering the obstacle course quite well. He finished with a decent time, looking mighty pleased with himself when he turned back into a human. He jogged over to Raven, giving her a peck on the lips. Her entire face turned a rosy shade, not used to displaying this sort of affection in front of her friends.

She gauged their reactions. Robin was doing one Hell of a job trying to ignore the PDA, while Starfire and Cyborg looked pleased and a bit smug. With all of the Titans openly in relationships, it was beginning to be a bit of a love fest in the Tower.

"Raven you're up next," Robin called, gesturing to the obstacle course.

Raven sighed. She didn't particularly like obstacle courses, but they were at least better than weight lifting. As the timer began, Raven levitated forward, narrowly dodging a swinging blade. She fazed right through the anvil that came her way, creating a force field as a wave of lasers shot in her direction.

She finished the obstacle course with one of her worst times, but she would take it for the time being.

"Nice….job…Mama!" she heard Beast Boy call, and she flushed red again. Yeah. That was _so_ not going to be her new nickname.

When training concluded, the girls hit the locker rooms to wash the sweat off their bodies. That was when Starfire pounced.

"Oooo I must know everything! Please start from the beginning!" she begged, bobbing up and down.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Raven said, playing dumb. She grabbed her towel and turned around, practically colliding face first into the redhead's breasts. Starfire had her arms crossed, clearly not fooled. Raven sighed. "Alright. What do you want to know?"

Starfire cheered, clapping her hands together. "When did you first do the kissing?"

Raven thought about this. "I guess the first time was…the last time we were on Tamaran."

Starfire's jaw dropped. "But surely…that was so long ago!"

Raven nodded. "Yeah, it feels like it."

"And you became the item after?"

"Uh, not really. It took a couple weeks after that."

Starfire smiled coyly. "He is quite attractive, is he not?"

Raven choked on her own spit, coughing violently. "Um, sure."

Starfire still had that sly look on her face to the point where Raven was getting suspicious. "Have you become intimate?"

Raven's face turned red for what felt like the thousandth time that day. "Uh…"

"Oh, you do not have to answer!" Starfire chirped. "I merely inquired so I could offer you contraceptive methods if you were to ever need them!"

Raven stared at her blankly. "You mean like…condoms?"

"I believe that is what Robin called them, yes."

That would mean having sex. With _Beast Boy_.

"Uh, thanks Star, but I don't think we'll need them for a while," she stammered.

"Very well, but if you ever change your mind-"

"I _really_ have to take a shower, so let's put this conversation on hold for a bit." Raven rushed out, walking quickly in the direction of the showers. She could hear Starfire's giggles echo off the walls.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _It was fun to write about the Psions. I hope I characterized them correctly. They are supposed to be detached from what they experiment on, doing everything purely for research. As for the Green Lanterns not willing to interfere, that's cannon. Seems kind of crazy, but I guess the laws of the universe can be a little complex._

 _I've decided to write one more intimate scene between the two of them. I'm sure you can guess what it will entail. Not sure how soon it will appear though._

 _Finally, there will be two characters from the show returning in the next chapter, while also incorporating plot points from the original show's comics with my own twist. They are both villains (more or less) and one is male, the other is female. They haven't interacted in the shows before, but I'm fairly sure they have in the show's comics. Shoot me a review and see if you can guess one of them! Hint: They've both had notable interactions with Starfire in the show, albeit in separate episodes._


	15. Pink X

**Author's Note:** _For those of you familiar with the original show's comics, the title of this chapter should give away both of the characters I mentioned in the author's note of the previous chapter. Let's see how many of you guessed correctly! Side Note: I used a direct quote from the comic from where I got this idea. I still don't own them by the way._

~0~0~0~

Raven created a black disc to give Beast Boy a boost onto the roof of a city building. He bounded up effortlessly, tucking and rolling onto the pavement. The Titans were currently in the middle of pursuing a caped figure they had never seen before. Whoever this person was, they had apparently stolen a vial of Xenothium. They were too far away to get a look at the person, but Raven suspected they were female, judging by the bright colors that contrasted with the overall gray of the costume. That was odd; the only other person they knew of that needed Xenothium was Red X.

This was her and Beast Boy's first mission since they had been captured by the Psions, and while Raven had completely healed, Beast Boy still had trouble turning into larger animals. Robin only cleared him for battle on the conditions he would only use his powers when completely necessary. So far, he was abiding by that rule.

Cyborg yelled as he fired his sonic cannon, hitting the villainess square in the back. She fell with a grunt, rolling several feet. The Titans managed to catch up with her on a warehouse rooftop. As they approached, the girl jumped to her feet, shaking her head to clear it. Raven's eyes widened. She heard Starfire gasp and Robin inhale sharply.

"Woah," Cyborg muttered.

"No way," Beast Boy breathed.

The woman in front of them wore an outfit entirely resembling the uniform of Red X, all except for pink x's in favor of reds, and a magenta wig that spilled out from under her mask.

"Who are you?" Robin demanded.

"I'm Pink X," she responded, her voice altered with technology in an all too familiar way, "the daughter of Red X!"

The Titans stared at her blankly.

Pink X brought her hand up to scratch the back of her head. "Um well, I'm the _accomplice_ of Red X!"

Raven looked to Robin, confused. The Boy Wonder shrugged his shoulders. The other Titans appeared to be equally as dubious.

Pink X tapped her foot impatiently. "Well? Are you going to try to arrest me or not?" She tapped the small vial of Xenothium encased in her utility belt.

That seemed to snap Robin awake. "Titans, go!"

Cyborg lunged at the villainess, throwing a punch. She easily dodged his attack, however, and pinned him down with a brightly colored x, shocking him as he fell. She flipped gracefully out of the way as starbolts rained down on her. Starfire flew nearer to the girl, her eyes glowing bright.

Pink X scoffed. "Ugh, what's with that outfit? Tacky much?" She threw a disk at the alien, incasing her in a pile of pink goo. Starfire struggled against the pink adhesive. "I like you better like this," she hissed at the redhead, flipping over Cyborg and landing next to Starfire, apparently attempting to teleport with the incapacitated girl.

Pink X sprung back in alarm, however, when Starfire ripped through her restraints and turned on the her in fury. Before the alien could get a good shot at her, Pink X had to cartwheel to the side as Beast Boy attempted to fight her in hand to hand combat. He faired well, but this girl was clearly smoother in her movements, and she landed a rough kick to his chin. Beast Boy fell backwards, clutching his jaw.

"You'd make a cute pet," Pink X remarked, taking out another bomb. Raven covered Beast Boy in her cape and phased through the roof, coming out away from the girl. Raven lifted her hand, catching the criminal by the foot with her powers and smacking her roughly against the concrete.

Pink X spun out of the way as Robin smacked down next. Rolling backwards, she dodged Robin's blows. He was definitely the better fighter; she wasn't even attempting to land a punch. Raven wondered if it had more to do with her lack of skill, or because she enjoyed toying with him.

"Aw," Pink X teased, shifting to the left, "finally a dance with the Boy Wonder!"

Definitely the latter.

Robin finally caught her with a hit to the stomach, sending her tumbling backwards. Pink X rose shakily. "Okay, that's enough for one day. Chao, Titans." She pressed her belt buckle and vanished before their eyes.

Robin punched the entrance door to the roof in frustration. Raven rose to her feet, an arm around Beast Boy. "You okay?" she asked him.

The changeling nodded. "Let's help… Cy and…figure out what's g-going on," he stammered, still not fully able to complete sentences with ease. If he noticed her look of sympathy, however, he ignored it. He moved to help Starfire pluck the remnants of her sticky prison off her skin, while Raven used her powers to unbind Cyborg.

"Thanks," Cyborg told Raven, getting to his feet and testing out his shoulders. "Never pictured Red X to be the partner type," he mused.

"Whoever this girl is, it seems highly doubtful for her to be his daughter," Starfire added.

"Her personality doesn't really suit his style either," Raven commented.

Robin shook his head. "It doesn't matter whether or not she's associated with X. She still stole Xenothium."

"Probably isn't…first…time," Beast Boy observed.

Robin nodded. "I agree."

"What do we do now?" Raven asked.

Cyborg bent over and picked a single strand of magenta hair. It was the hair from Pink X's wig. "This is a start."

When the Titans returned to the Tower, they gathered around Cyborg as he scanned the hair. Starfire appeared over his shoulder tapping her lip.

"Forgive me Friend Cyborg, but how does testing the hair of a wig assist in identification?"

"It doesn't Star, but it might give us a clue as to where this girl created Pink X," he replied, watching the scanner intently. After a moment the scan was complete, and a name of a business flashed onto the screen. "The wig she was wearing comes from a place called _Faboo Felicity's,_ " he concluded. "Looks like it went out of business a while ago."

"How does that help us?" Robin questioned.

"It might not," Cyborg admitted, "but it's a place to start."

Unfortunately for the Titans, the evidence they recovered was minimal. The abandoned factory had hundreds of leftover wigs lying around waiting to be stolen by anyone who was daring enough to break in. Beast Boy tried on multiple wigs, waggling his eyebrows at Raven. She aggressively tried to ignore his antics.

"You look ridiculous," she finally snapped at him, after he had poked her in the side for the fifth time.

He didn't seem bothered by her harsh tone though, as he continued to rifle through the box of forgotten wigs. While Cyborg and Robin scoured the area for any sort of fingerprints or DNA, Starfire started to get roped in to Beast Boy's wig party.

"Oh, I most enjoy this purple haired one!" she beamed, trying on her own lilac wig.

"Purple…looks good," Beast Boy said, winking in Raven's direction.

The empath rolled her eyes. "Starfire, don't encourage him."

"You do not think the purple looks nice on me?" she questioned, a bit put out.

"Red suits you better," a male voice replied.

The Titans' heads snapped up as the factory's conveyor belt jolted to life, creating a ruckus in the previously silent room. Red X hung from a metal ladder, waving to the heroes below.

"Titans, it's been a while," he said cordially.

"What are you and your partner up to?" Robin demanded, not usually one for banter.

Red X's mask lifted on one side. "Partner?"

"Pink X," Raven clarified.

At the name of the villainess, Red X groaned. "She's _not_ my partner. Next time you see her, tell her to get lost. I work alone."

"…Trouble in paradise?" Beast Boy quipped.

Red X smirked. "Ask Chuckles over there, seeing as I'm about to steal his girl." He sent Starfire a wink and then teleported onto the ground beside her. She let out an "Eep!" of surprise and sent a starbolt his way, blasting him back several feet.

Starfire looked prepared to blast him again, but Robin darted in front of her, clearly pissed off. He darted forwards, attempting to sweep under Red X's legs.

"You make it too easy to mess with you, Kid," X teased, tossing a smoke bomb into the leader's face. As Robin fell backwards, coughing, Beast Boy leapt onto X's back in the form of a spider monkey. The changeling shrieked as the criminal tried to peel him off, ultimately tossing him over the conveyor belt. He turned to Raven, expecting her attack next.

 _"Azarath Metrion Zinthos,"_ she cried, levitating the nearest loose object. Unfortunately, that nearest object…or _objects_ rather, happened to be wigs, and lots of them. They landed in a heap on top of Red X, obscuring him from view. He exploded out of them moments later, shaking his head at her disapprovingly.

"Come on, you've got to do better than that," he chastised, flicking an expanding x that stapled her to the floor. She easily phased through it, levitating beside Cyborg and Starfire. When Cyborg charged, Red X used his body weight to catapult himself off a metal pillar, sending the cybernetic Titan crashing into it.

"Me and the ladies," he drawled, "just how I like it."

Starfire used her eyebeams to blast into X's chest, but he caught himself, rolling out of the way from Raven's black energy attack. He tossed another sticky x in Starfire's direction, but Raven intercepted it, attempting to block it. She slowed the attack, but was ultimately trapped to Starfire as a result. The two lay bound together chest to chest on the floor. Raven looked up as she heard footsteps approach them.

"I'm flattered you want to _stick_ around, but I really only need Cutie here," he told the pale girl, whipping out an x shaped blade. "Nothing personal."

Red X flew to the side as a green rhino slammed into him. The criminal collapsed into a box full of wigs, groaning. Robin and Cyborg approached the box, prepared to fight once more. Rather than attempting to remove himself, X took the opportunity to teleport out of the factory before things could get ugly.

Starfire used her strength to finally break through the bindings, and Raven flew over to Beast Boy who clutched his head in discomfort.

"Why did you push yourself like that?" she inquired sharply, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You heard…him…he was gonna leave…with…S-St-tar-" he replied, his stammering a little worse than usual.

"That's it. When we get back to the Tower I'm going to try to heal you."

Raven turned around as the rest of the Titans approached them. Starfire watched Beast Boy anxiously. "Are you the okay, Beast Boy?"

The changeling blinked several times and then smiled at Starfire. "All good, S-Star."

Cyborg frowned, surveying the damage to the old factory. "Anyone else wondering what's going on?"

"X claims he's not working with Pink X," Raven said, "yet for some reason they both seem to have a personal vendetta against Starfire."

Robin frowned. "No. Red X has always just liked toying with her, but Pink X…there was malice there."

Starfire frowned. "Perhaps I have offended this Pink X in some way?"

Robin sighed. "Whatever the reason is, we aren't going to let them bother you. Come on Titans, let's head back to the Tower." He turned to Raven. "Make sure you take a look at Beast Boy," he reminded her, sending a concerned glance to his green teammate.

Raven nodded. She wouldn't need to be told twice.

Later, when they were alone in his bedroom, she immediately ordered him onto his bed, levitating up to meet him.

"This may hurt," she warned him. She placed her hands on either side of his temples. As her powers worked on him he tensed harshly for a moment before relaxing.

"Thanks," he said, rubbing his head. "I think that helped."

She nodded, stepping back. "Try not to push yourself so hard next time."

"Whatever you say, Rae-Rae."

She gave him a half-smile, which he mimicked. His mouth opened for a moment as if he were debating whether or not to say something.

"Go on," she prompted, levitating herself down to sit on his floor. Beast Boy jumped off his bed and crossed his legs beside her.

"So Star told me something…pretty interesting today," he began.

Raven could already feel uneasiness spreading throughout her body. She could only imagine what the redhead had said to him.

"She said we….could b-borrow something of hers," Beast Boy continued, tapping his fingers on his knees.

 _Uh-oh. That sounds familiar._

"Does this something come in little square packages?" she asked, attempting to keep her voice neutral. Apparently it worked because his face turned bright red.

"Well yeah…I just didn't want…I mean…I just thought I should know."

"Know what?"

"If I s-should ask her for some," he finished, staring at the carpet.

Raven cleared her throat. "Would that be something you want?"

Beast Boy bit his lip, and despite the awkward discussion, she found it incredibly sexy. "Um, I dunno…maybe. Would…would that be something _you_ want?"

Raven didn't have an answer. She hadn't really considered it before. Would it be something she would want? They had already been extremely intimate but this…this was a whole other can of worms.

"I would be…open to it," she decided.

Beast Boy perked up. "So I'll ask Star for some then!"

Raven winced. "I know she's made a similar offer to me in the past. Maybe I should do it. In a way that's more discreet."

"Good idea."

He leaned in to kiss her, briefly sucking on her bottom lip. "I miss touching you. We haven't really done anything since-" he swallowed, unable to finish.

Raven gently trailed her lips over his cheek. "I know. If you want maybe we could…try to have a night to ourselves or something."

"Mm, now you're talking, Mama."

" _No."_

"Rae-Rae, then?"

"…I'll take it."

~0~0~0~

"Good work Titans," Robin congratulated them after they had successfully subdued Mumbo Jumbo from robbing a bank. The blue skinned villain was hauled away to the Jump City Prison once more.

The city had quieted down significantly seeing as the sun had already set. Despite Robin's obsessive tracking, he, nor the other Titans, were able to find Red X or Pink X again.

So it made sense that both of them appeared that night.

As soon as they were along on the street, a car slowly drove itself up to the Titans. They exchanged glances and Cyborg made to move towards it when it exploded. Raven instinctively shielded them from the blast. As she lifted her force field, Pink X ran at them, tossing multiple pink bombs in their direction.

"Titans, move!" Robin ordered, and the team scattered before they could be trapped in the adhesive. Pink X went straight for Starfire, who was still recovering from her fall. She would have reached the alien if it weren't for the x launched at villainess' feet. Pink X shrieked and stumbled, glaring at her attacker.

Raven adjusted her cloak and eyed Red X, front flipping onto the street where they all were. Well this just got interesting…and confusing.

"Stay out of this Red!" Pink X snapped, brushing her pink hair over her shoulder. "And don't you even _think_ about getting involved with my family!"

"Sorry, but everyone has their price," he taunted, "and mine will come from her." He moved towards Starfire whose hands began to glow with green. He never got to her, however, due to Robin side kicking him in the head. The criminal fell to the ground and then sprung back up just as easily. The two sparred while Starfire took on Pink X; Raven quickly coming to her aid. Cyborg went to assist Robin, while Beast Boy followed her.

Raven was missing something here. Both villains wanted Starfire, but for seemingly different reasons. Pink X definitely was more eager to hurt her, but it sounded like Red X wanted to sell her to someone for a sum…but by doing so he would be getting involved with Pink X's family? Something wasn't adding up, and she had a feeling it had to do with Pink X's identity.

Her head snapped to the side at Cyborg and Robin's cries. Red X had subdued them and was sprinting in their direction. Not good. The question was would he help them or Pink X?

To Raven's surprise, he paused, looking back and forth as if he couldn't decide. He grunted, taking out another weapon. Raven thought she heard him mutter something along the lines of "Screw it," and then raced towards Pink X, his x blade raised.

Pink X must have noticed his approaching figure because she took out one of her larger smoke bombs. "Sorry Freaks, but this is about to get messy." She turned to Red X. "We could have been partners, ya know," she said, shaking her head.

Then she threw the bomb and everything went white.

Raven came to several minutes later, rubbing her head. She shakily got to her feet when she noticed Robin and Cyborg standing around Red X. Beast Boy apparently had enough energy to turn into an octopus, and was currently using his extra limbs to imprison the criminal.

"Tell us where she took Starfire, _now_ ," Robin yelled, his normally composed tone giving way to anger.

"You better explain what's going on, Man. No tricks," Cyborg added.

"I have a better idea," Raven said stepping forward. She placed her hands on either side of his masked face, her eyes glowing white. _"Azarath Metrion Zinthos."_

She entered his mind, seeing through his eyes. She saw a blonde girl, a hideous relative. She saw him accept his mission, and then abandon it only moments ago during the battle. What she didn't see was his face. It was the only downside to seeing through someone else's eyes; you could never see your own face. She returned a moment later, glancing from Robin, to Cyborg, to Beast Boy.

"Pink X is Kitten," she explained. "Killer Moth hired Red X to capture Starfire in exchange for money. Apparently he's had a score to settle with her ever since the Silkie incident. Kitten wants to enact her own revenge though. She has no interest sharing it with her father." She turned to gaze upon Red X's mask. "Looks like you changed your mind at the last minute. Smart."

"Did you-" X began.

"I couldn't see your face," Raven snapped back. "Your secret's safe."

"We could just take his mask off now," Cyborg suggested.

Robin frowned. "As much as I'd like to, I have a feeling he won't help us find Starfire if we do."

"Who says I'd help you anyway?" Red X muttered.

"What's your price?" Robin fired back, surprising Raven. He didn't normally barter with criminals.

Red X smirked beneath his mask. "A date. With Starfire."

Robin's face turned beet red. "Pick something else."

"A kiss then."

Robin gritted his teeth.

"That's my price. Take it or leave it."

The Titans' leader glared at him. "I can't force her to kiss you, you know. If that's your price then you need her permission first."

"Fine with me. I can be very persuasive," Red X responded, wiggling his eyebrows.

Robin growled as Beast Boy released X, morphing back into a human. "So," the changeling began, "where do we g-go?" Everyone's gaze fell on Red X.

He crossed his arms. "I might have an idea."

~0~0~0~

"How exactly do you know where she lives again?" Raven asked, as they journeyed to Kitten's 'secret lair.'

"Let's just say she was really keen on stealing me for herself and spilled some details," Red X said, hopping from rooftop to rooftop.

"Why she want you so bad?" Cyborg questioned.

"Something about making her spider boyfriend jealous."

"Been there," Robin muttered, right behind him.

"Why's she so…cray-cray about…getting back…at Star on her own?," Beast Boy asked.

Red X turned to Raven. "What's wrong with green boy?" he inquired, referring to his slurred speech. Her response came in the form of four red demon eyes. "Okay, okay," X said with his hands up. "Sorry I asked." He glanced over to Beast Boy. "I don't know the details, Kid. All I get is that she doesn't trust Daddy Dearest to do her bidding. Not surprised, since Cutie gave him a run for his money," he spoke, referring to the Brotherhood of Evil battle.

"Wow, he's really laying it on thick in front of Robin," Cyborg murmured to Beast Boy, looking a little sheepish when the Boy Wonder overheard him.

Red X landed on the roof of an apartment complex and gazed downwards. "We're here."

Raven levitated down and opened a window with her powers, allowing her and the boys to enter. They walked around in the dark, their only source of light being Cyborg's shoulder lamps. They came across a room discreetly marked 'Kitten,' and with a powerful punch, Cyborg knocked the door of its hinges.

They all entered the room, which was deceivingly large on the inside. It was poorly lit, so Cyborg continued to scan the area with his lights. Raven reached out with her senses, attempting to locate Starfire. She became concerned when she could not seem to sense her friend. She was momentarily distracted from her search when every light in the room flipped on, making them all jolt in surprise. To make things even stranger, once Raven got her bearings she found Kitten lying on her bed in her pink pajamas, her legs crossed.

"Mind explaining to me what you're doing in my room?" she demanded, her voice shrill.

Robin was the first to get over the disbelief of seeing her so utterly casual in front of them. "What did you do with Starfire?" he spat.

She crinkled her nose. "I don't know what you're talking about, Robbie-poo."

"You're going to tell us, or we'll _make_ you."

She gasped in mock horror. "You wouldn't hit a girl would you, Boy Wonder?"

Raven stepped forwards. "I have no problem with it."

Kitten looked panicked for a moment, and then smirked. "I don't know where Star-brat is, and you can't prove I know anything."

"What am I? Copped liver?" Red X replied, pretending to be hurt.

"He told us everything we need to know," Cyborg explained.

Kitten scoffed. "You're going to believe what a common thief tells you? Give me a break."

"Dude, your costume…is like, right there," Beast Boy said, pointing under her bed. All of their eyes snapped to the Pink X costume folded neatly in a cardboard box.

Kitten's eyes went wide for just a second, and then she bolted. Raven trapped her in her powers before she could even leave her bed.

"Let's try this again," Robin said, approaching her.

Kitten struggled in vain. "Okay, okay! Daddy took her from me! I caught her fair and square, and he _took_ her! _And_ he grounded me for interfering in his evil plans. Now how am I supposed to make up with Fang?" she whined.

"Couples therapy?" Raven suggested.

"Where's Killer Moth?" Cyborg asked.

"Like I'd tell you!" Kitten's eyes widened as a dark tentacle slipped out from under Raven's cloak in a threat. "Fine! He's in our old condo. Now let me go you evil witch!"

"Let's take her with us in case she's lying," Robin suggested. "Raven, you think you can hold onto her until we find Killer Moth?"

"Gladly."

"Alright. Titans…plus Red X…go!"

True to her word, Kitten's directions led them to Killer Moth's hideout. As they snuck around the back entrance, Raven made sure to cover Kitten's mouth with her powers. Azar knew that girl could scream.

"I'm surprised you're still sticking around for this," Cyborg told Red X.

"I want my kiss."

A pulse throbbed in Robin's head. "Titans, on my count we bust in. Stay on your guard; we don't know what we could find. One, two, three!"

All five, plus a captive Kitten, erupted into the villain's condo, thundering downstairs until they reached his secret layer. They crashed through the door dramatically, all of them posed to attack. If they thought what they saw in Kitten's apartment was strange, this certainly blew them out of the water.

Killer Moth was slumped over in an office chair, completely tied up. He moaned in his semi-conscious state. Starfire, on the other hand, was on cloud nine. Dozens of larva that resembled her beloved Silkie wiggled around her. Giggling, the redhead tickled all of them, making sure to give them plenty of kisses. She didn't even seem to notice her friends.

"Uh, Starfire?" Robin finally spoke up.

Starfire gasped in joy. "Oh friends!" she squealed, flying forward. "I have just incapacitated the Killer Moth after he attempted to turn me into another one of his mutant slaves! I have rendered him obsolete and have freed these tiny, adorable creatures. Yes I have, yes I have!" she said, kneeling in the direction of the larva.

Robin sighed in relief. "We should have known you could take care of yourself, Star."

She waved him off. "It is the okay. I am sorry I have not been efficient in contacting you. You see I only freed myself moments ago, and I needed to make sure all my little _bumgorfs_ were alright!"

"Odds we're getting some new pets," Beast Boy whispered to Raven, not even noticing how he didn't stammer.

Robin turned to Red X then. "I should thank you."

Red X's mask lifted skeptically. "Why?"

"For helping us, on more than one occasion actually." Robin unclipped a communicator from his belt and offered it to the thief. "Take this. I know you don't like playing the hero, but you could be good at it."

Red X stared at Robin's hand. "I don't need it."

"Take it anyway. I know someone I could connect you with if you ever change your mind."

Raven looked at Robin in surprise. _Is he actually offering what I think he's offering?_

Red X appeared to be equally dumfounded, for he took the communicator from Robin's hand and stared down at it. "Uh…thanks."

"Man, _"_ Cyborg breathed. "Unreal."

"This is fun and all," Red X said suddenly, moving forwards and saluting in Kitten's direction, "but I've been told I'm owed something."

Starfire just seemed to notice his presence, and she turned to Robin with a questioning look. When Robin regretfully explained the deal they had made, Starfire crossed her arms, torn between annoyance and amusement.

"Do you know any other languages?" Starfire asked Red X, perking up a little at the thought.

"Uh…I can say a few words in Russian."

Starfire sighed in disappointment. "The cheek it is I suppose."

~0~0~0~

The Titans, after an exhausting day of fighting crime would have liked nothing more than to crawl into bed and call it night. Beast Boy apparently had other plans.

"Come on!" he complained. "We…n-never have movie nights anymore! Besides…it's super relaxing!"

"Hold still," Raven snapped from where she knelt in front of him. She needed to focus while healing his head, and his thrashing wasn't doing him any favors.

"I'm fine with anything as long as it doesn't contain larva," Cyborg said, shuddering.

Starfire let out a sad sigh at the mention of larva. After ensuring Killer Moth and Kitten were turned over to the authorities, the Titans had to decide what to do with the villains' baby mutants. They eventually turned them over to a facility specializing in the care of genetically altered creatures. Robin had assured a heartbroken Starfire that they would be cared for. Regardless, Starfire clearly felt guilty for she currently held Silkie tight in her arms.

"I guess a movie could take our minds off things," Robin said, giving a concerned glance to his girlfriend, although Raven suspected he might need a distraction as well. True to her word, Starfire had leant towards Red X with the intent to give him a kiss on the cheek. His mask had lifted halfway, giving Raven a view of skin almost as pasty as Robin's. As Starfire's lips grazed his cheek, his head had jerked to the side, pecking the girl full on the mouth before teleporting away.

Starfire and Robin had not been pleased to say the least.

"If we _have_ to watch a movie then at least make it something without zombies," Raven droned, "or vampire zombies," she added.

"Perhaps the comedy?" Starfire suggested, scratching Silkie's belly.

"Sounds good to me lil' lady."

"Sweet!"

"Great idea, Star."

"Whatever."

After Raven had done her best to heal Beast Boy's head injury, the Titans gathered on the sofa to begin the flick. About halfway through, Raven decided she thought the jokes were predictable, but at least they weren't awful. She hadn't realized how absorbed she must have become, for when Beast Boy began to trail his fingers up her thigh she jolted back into reality.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

He sent her a devilish smile in response. "I'm just thinking how hot it would be…if I could touch you right now."

She gave him a skeptical look. "Really? You want Robin to watch?"

Beast Boy made a disgusted face. "Okay. Point taken."

Raven peeked over at her friends. Robin had his arm around Starfire while she patted her _bumgorf_ in her lap. Raven supposed she could give in a little, considering it wasn't a secret anymore that she and Beast Boy were a couple. She wove her fingers with his and shifted closer to him. After a moment she felt his head rest on her shoulder, and she began to relax. This cuddling thing honestly wasn't so bad.

"Next week…after I'm…feeling better," he whispered, "I wanna do something awesome…go away with you."

Raven's eyes widened. "Like for the weekend?"

She felt Beast Boy nod against her shoulder, and she felt her stomach twist and turn with excitement and nervousness.

"That okay?" he asked.

She paused, fully considering what he was implying. She could practically hear Passion cooing in her ear. "Yes," she responded, her cheeks warming. "It's…more than okay."

Beast Boy squeezed her hand tightly, and Raven wondered with a mischievous smile what she had gotten into.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _Since the past couple of chapters have been action based, I think it's time for more romance. By the way, I can totally see Kitten being silly enough to just leave her Pink X uniform under her bed. It was way too fun to write her. The line where she says "Finally, a dance with the Boy Wonder," is taken directly from the show-based comics._

 _Also I have a theory about who I think Red X is. It's a pretty popular theory, but it makes the most sense to me, so that's why I foreshadowed it in this chapter. If you guys like stories about Red X you should read my story "Red" which explores additional encounters with the Titans, especially Starfire._

 _The Titans have a couple more adventures ahead of them, including one major one. There are still one or two villains who have engaged Starfire in the show that I haven't used yet. Can you guess who they are? One's rather obvious, but the other is less so. That doesn't mean he/she is less important or interesting though! Until next time._


	16. North

**Author's Note:** _This is the last chapter with significant mature content. You've been warned. There is mention of a story by Rudyard Kipling in this chapter, which I do not own. It is a famous story known as "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi." Some of you may know where I'm going with this reference._

~0~0~0~

"Where would you want to go?"

"I dunno. Where would you want to go?"

Raven rolled her eyes, sensing the conversation was becoming repetitive. She and Beast Boy had spent the past couple of days brainstorming potential locations for their getaway weekend. They hadn't told the others yet, mainly because they had no idea what they planned on doing or where they were going.

If the others noticed they were keeping to themselves more often these days, they didn't comment. Raven supposed this partly had to do with the fact that they had all been busy with their own individual tasks anyway. Robin had announced earlier in the week that the Titan network planned to form a Titans North, so he needed everyone's help.

Raven could tell Robin was more stressed than usual. She couldn't really blame him. He had expected a base in the North to be selected by now, but the trouble was he didn't even know who would actually be on this team yet.

Gnarrk and Kole were a given, since they were already in the North and had both expressed interest in joining an official team. Other possible candidates were Red Star, Wildebeest, Argent, and Jericho, but that would require some of them to move across the world. A lot of these decisions fell to Robin, which placed a lot of pressure on the already anxious hero.

Speaking of stress, Raven, true to her word, swallowed her pride and asked Starfire if she could use a couple of the condoms reserved for her and Robin. Upon requesting, Raven discovered-to her horror-that the contraception was actually kept in Robin's room, not Starfire's. This meant the alien had to ask Robin for them, so of course he had sat both Beast Boy and Raven down for a lecture on sexual responsibility. His face had been red the entire time, and he had tugged at his collar so much that Raven suspected his uniform had stretched enough to allow a second head through the neckline. By the end of the lecture, all three of them had wanted to die, but at least Beast Boy and Raven secured themselves some condoms in the process.

"I think I have a cool idea," Beast Boy said, tugging Raven out of her thoughts.

"What's that?"

Beast Boy twiddled his thumbs, the breeze ruffling his hair. The air on the Tower's roof always felt a little more humid, so Raven was grateful the wind was still blowing.

"I just thought, since we've n-never been before…maybe we could go to Azarath."

Raven studied him. He was clearly nervous about her reaction to his suggestion. She could tell because this was the first time his speech had faltered all week. With the help of Raven's healing powers, he had practically made a full recovery since the Psions' experimentations. Now he only had the occasional slip up.

"Why would you want to go to Azarath?" she asked, knowing the request was impossible, but still curious as to why he would want to journey there.

Beast Boy shrugged. "I mean you were born there right? I just think it's weird we've never been. I thought maybe it would be neat to visit with you."

"There is no more Azarath. It's completely destroyed."

Beast Boy's eyes bulged. "Raven I had no idea! I always just assumed…"

"It's okay," she reassured him, touching her foot to his. She looked off into the distance, watching as a group of gulls dove into the water. "It was Trigon. I didn't see it happen. I had already moved to Earth, with the intention to repent for the horrible things I would soon be a part of."

"Then how do you know it's gone?"

"I saw it in an illusion my mother left for me," she answered. "It's hard to explain, but I…I don't think I could go back there."

Beast Boy gripped her hand. "Yeah, I understand. Where would you wanna go then? Somewhere on Earth?"

Raven thought for a moment and then nodded. "That makes the most sense, considering it's just for a weekend."

"Okay! How about the Bahamas? Oh, oh! How about Mexico? We _did_ say that was gonna be our next vacation spot after Japan."

"No, _you_ said that. _I_ hit you for suggesting it," she reminded him.

"Well I don't hear _you_ coming up with any bright ideas," he said, poking her.

She swatted his hand away, and then rested her elbow on her knees while she contemplated. "How about somewhere in Europe?" she suggested.

Beast Boy cocked his head to the side. "Why Europe?"

Raven shrugged, vaguely noticing how she had picked up the mannerism from him. "It seems like a place where we could both find something to enjoy. I've always wanted to go to Greece or Italy."

Beast Boy laughed. "Rae, Greece is in South America!"

She stared at him blankly.

"…Or maybe not," he admitted sheepishly.

"Do those sound like places that would interest you?" she asked, returning to their original topic of discussion.

Beast Boy beamed. "Yeah! Ugh, this is gonna be so-"

"Awesome?" she guessed.

"Yeah!"

Raven shook her head at his antics, but couldn't resist the urge to lean over and kiss him.

~0~0~0~

The others were overjoyed to hear they were going away for the weekend. Even Robin, despite his worried nature, seemed happy for them.

"My BB's growing up," Cyborg gushed, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye. "You treat my little sister alright, you hear?"

"Yeah, yeah, Cy. Don't worry I will," the changeling responded, smiling bashfully.

"Do you need any more of the contraception?" Starfire asked Raven and Beast Boy, oblivious to the personal nature of the question.

The couple's faces turned cherry red, and Raven heard Robin make a strange choking noise in the background. Cyborg looked absolutely bewildered.

"Uh…" Raven replied unintelligently.

"That's okay, Star," Beast Boy squeaked, his voice cracking.

Starfire clasped her hands together. "Very well. I hope you have the most romantic occasion!"

"Let us know when you get to Greece safely," Robin instructed, struggling to steer the conversation to something else.

"Make sure you take pictures," Cyborg reminded them.

"Oh I'm so on it!" Beast Boy piped up, pulling out his disposable camera.

"Careful where you point that thing," Raven warned, and he shuddered, remembering their trip to Japan.

Starfire flew in front of them with what Raven assumed to be two Tamaranean style suitcases. "These are _glinktorps,_ " she explained. "They will make it easy for you to travel light. Observe." Starfire opened Beast Boy's suitcase and used the _glinktorp_ as a vacuum to suck all of his belongings into it. Once his suitcase was completely empty, the strange creature folded into an over the shoulder bag, which Starfire handed to Beast Boy.

"Woah. Thanks Star. This is sweet," Beast Boy said, marveling at how light the _glinktorp_ was.

Starfire giggled. "I took one with me to Tokyo. They are very useful, and also most adorable," she said, tickling the one under Beast Boy's arm. It responded with a content squeak.

After Raven had her own _glinktorp_ around her shoulder, all five Titans made their way to the roof to see her and Beast Boy off. Starfire had given them each bone brushing hugs, and Robin and Cyborg patted their backs in parting.

Beast Boy slung the _glinktorp_ around his back and transformed into a hawk while Raven levitated beside him. They bid farewell to their friends, and then began their journey.

Raven planned to teleport them the rest of the trip once they reached the halfway point. It was far easier to transport them over shorter distances, and Raven didn't want to be wiped out before their vacation even began.

The two flew in silence for obvious reasons. Raven actually found she was a little regretful they couldn't converse. A couple of years ago she would have begged for silence when she was around the changeling, but nowadays she really enjoyed his commentary.

Oh, what a world.

After a few hours Beast Boy landed on her shoulder. She could tell he was tiring, but they weren't even close to the halfway mark yet. She decided to take pity on him and create a circle of energy for him to sit on. The green Titan transformed back into his human self, breathing heavily.

"Thanks," he panted, wiping sweat off his brow.

"Don't mention it."

Beast Boy glanced down curiously at the land below. "I'd say we're probably mid-west by now," he mused, lying on his back.

"Enjoying the view?" she asked, not realizing he had moved to face upwards.

"Well, _now_ I am."

Raven blushed heavily when she noticed his staring. He let out a squeal as she moved her energy platform up, so it floated next to her rather than under her. After Beast Boy was confident she would not drop him for his crude comment, his posture relaxed again.

"What do you wanna do once we get there?" he questioned.

"Sleep."

"I mean after that."

Raven pursed her lips in thought. "We could explore the area if you want. Find somewhere to eat, go to the beach even."

"Would you wanna do like…historical stuff too?" he asked, tilting his head to look at her.

Raven raised her eyebrows in surprise. She had assumed he would be bored out of his mind at the thought of visiting a museum or perusing ancient architecture. Clearly he had mentioned it for her benefit, but she was still constantly caught off guard by how thoughtful he was.

"Maybe for a little," she admitted. "There are a couple of temples that are worth seeing."

"Okay, sounds good to me."

After several more hours they reached the East Coast, and by then the sun had completely set. It was at that point where Raven teleported them the rest of the way, and they touched down in Mykonos, Greece. Beast Boy glanced around, surprised by the bright blue sky.

"Time zones," she reminded him, and she could practically see the clicking in his head at the realization.

They walked for about ten minutes until they reached their hotel. They checked into their room and traveled down the hall to where they would be staying. Raven was completely exhausted, and she was grateful Starfire had given them the _glinktorps._ She set hers down in the closet, rolling her eyes as Beast Boy dramatically flopped onto the bed.

 _Their_ bed.

It was odd to say the least. They had both slept in each other's beds before, but this felt different for some reason. Raven was too tired to overanalyze the situation though. She kicked off her shoes and unclasped her clock, climbing under the sheets. Beast Boy removed his shoes and gloves before mimicking her position. She thought she heard herself say goodnight, but her mind was already drifting to sleep.

She awoke in the late afternoon; the sun was just starting to set. She shook the sleep from her eyes, hating how her internal clock was off, but knew things would be back to normal the next morning. Beast Boy was still fast asleep beside her. His hair was a mess and his mouth hung open, ungracefully. She shook her head, smiling a little, and quietly removed herself from the bed.

She undressed in the bathroom and stepped under the waterfall showerhead, letting the warm liquid run down her body. She wet her hair and began washing the dried sweat from her journey off of her body. After several minutes she heard a knock at the door.

"Rae, are you in the shower?"

"Yes," she replied, hoping she hadn't woken him. "You can come into the bathroom if you need to."

She heard the door open and shut, his footsteps heading in the direction of the sink. By the sounds he made she could tell he was brushing his teeth and rinsing. Raven finished cleaning her body and started to shampoo her hair. The water and suds blocked her ears momentarily, but she heard a muffled sound on the other side of the shower door. She rinsed her hair and cleaned out her ears.

"Did you say something?" she called.

"Uh, yeah," he said, and then cleared his throat. "I asked if it was ok to come in."

Into the shower? Raven felt her heart hammering in her chest. They had seen each other naked, but not all at once. She knew she was being silly, but it was a strange thing to think about, him in there with her.

"S-sure," she heard herself respond, turning her back to the door as if she could really be modest at this point.

She listened to the sounds of him shedding his clothing, and then sensed the frosted shower door open behind her. Her skin prickled as the heat from the shower escaped, and she pressed her arms to her breasts, the waterfall of liquid running down her back. She heard him close the door and shift his feet behind her.

"Uh…hi."

Raven turned her head to the side, catching him in her periphery vision. "Hi." It was silent for a few moments except for the sound of running water. Raven swallowed, and then stepped to the side, still not fully facing him. "Do you want to use the water?"

"Oh, okay," he said, moving forwards to wet his hair and body. Raven gave him enough room to clean himself; aware her arms still covered her chest. She tried not to stare, but it was hard to ignore that he was in the shower. With _her._ She faced the door, listening to the shifts in water as it ran down him. After a few minutes she felt him behind her. He reached out a dampened hand and placed it on her waist. She turned her head to gauge his expression. He was smiling nervously, but she could tell from his eyes he was excited. It was the first time she really noticed that he was almost eye level with her now.

He leaned in to kiss her, his mouth soft, yet searing. She responded to him, letting her tongue brush against his. As they became closer, she let her arms wrap around him, pressing against his chest. She felt his hand brush over her bottom and she smirked against his lips, knowing his touches were light because she could still whack him at any time. Not that she would right now though.

"We should get out of the shower," she murmured.

She had no idea what was on her own mind to be honest, but with the way things were going she wanted to find out.

"Okay," he replied.

He suddenly lifted his head and smiled at her mischievously. He bent down and rested his hand under her thighs, lifting her up so her legs straddled above his waist. She looked at him in disbelief as he struggled to turn off the shower and move out of the bathroom.

"They make it look so easy in the movies," he strained, as he tried to focus on not slipping.

Raven cocked an eyebrow. "What sort of movies are you watching?"

Beast Boy rolled his eyes, and the next moment Raven felt her back hit the bed. He climbed on top of her; kissing away the little cold bumps on her skin. He scooted down so he could rest his face on her shoulder, his mouth turned to her neck.

"You are so pretty," he said softly, but his voice came out low and gruff.

She felt her stomach flip again from the contact of his lips on her neck. She turned her head and kissed his forehead, threading her pale fingers in his hair.

"Get the condom," she murmured into his hairline.

He moved off of her, propping himself up so he could stare down. "Really?" he asked in a small voice, his excitement obvious.

She nodded, still a little shy. He nearly fell off the bed in an attempt to secure one of the little packages their friends had given them. She sat up and watched as he tore the wrapper off, placing the contraceptive on himself and rolling it down.

"You know how to it," she observed.

He made a face. "It's pretty obvious, but even if I _didn't,_ Robin insisted on educating me with _diagrams_ after he dismissed you from the lecture _._ I guess he really doesn't want half-demon, half metahuman babies running around the Tower."

"They would be quarter-demon," she corrected, "and never mention Robin while we're like this again."

"Got it." He crawled on top of her, placing his hands on the mattress on either side of her body. He looked at her sheepishly, their noses brushing. "Um…so what happens now?"

Raven couldn't help the small snort that escaped her mouth. She let out another chuckle when she saw the goofy grin hovering over her face. She became so enveloped in his bashful humor, that she completely forgot to be nervous.

~0~0~0~

"Did it hurt?" he murmured, afterwards.

She shook her head. "Not as much as I thought. I'm okay. Did it…feel good for you?"

"Yeah," he said, grinning madly. "I knew you'd like that thing I did with my tongue."

She blushed a bright red, all the way down to her chest. "It was adequate."

He laughed, and then laid his head on her chest. She rubbed the back of his skull slowly and closed her eyes, falling asleep with a smile on her face.

By the next morning they felt refreshed and finally left their room to begin exploring the island. Instead of dressing in their usual uniforms, they opted for a more casual look. Beast Boy had of course worn his awful tourist shirt, with a pair of pale khaki shorts and flip-flops. Raven really didn't have any civilian clothes of her own, so Starfire had allowed her to borrow some of hers. She wore a long, flowing, white shirt with Capri jeans and sandals. It was like stepping into someone else's skin. It was so utterly not her style, but it felt a little fun wearing it. Not that she would ever admit it to anyone.

They walked down cobblestone pathways, glancing up at the beautiful blue-capped buildings. The sand on the beaches was fine and lily white. The weather, while not necessarily cool, was pleasant enough that they could spend hours sight seeing without being covered in sweat.

They took a tour on their own private sailboat, exploring the coasts of the island. Beast Boy had been mildly disappointed when a crewmember was required to come with them, but Raven was grateful. She knew if the sailor was absent, Beast Boy would insist on steering the boat himself, and she wasn't in the mood to go crashing into the rocks.

They sat by the bow of the boat, staring at the island from the sea. A light breeze ruffled Raven's hair, and a few strands brushed under Beast Boy's nose, causing him to sneeze. Raven daintily raised a hand to her mouth to cover a giggle. She was so caught up in the moment with him that she didn't even bother to question it. It was one of the few, rare times when she decided to allow herself to really let loose and feel fully.

Afterwards, they stopped at a local café for lunch where they ended their meal with homemade koulourakia, or Greek butter cookies with sesame. When early afternoon came, Raven teleported them to the Temple of Artemis, located in a grassy meadow. The two walked along the green clearing, finding a comfy place to sit by the impressive stone structure behind them.

"Let's play a game," Beast Boy suggested.

Raven raised her eyebrow. "What kind of game?"

"Like a question game."

Raven narrowed her eyes. "I don't know."

"Why?"

"What if I don't want to answer something?"

Beast Boy scrunched up his mouth in thought. "How about you have to kiss me every time you don't answer a question."

"Okay," Raven agreed, shifting to get more comfortable.

"You can go first if you want," he offered.

"Alright. What's your favorite book?"

"Really?" he asked, unimpressed by her inquiry.

Raven shrugged. "I thought we could ask anything."

"Okay, okay, fine. Um…I don't know…I guess there was this story my parents used to read me when we were in Africa. It was a classic. Something about a brave mongoose protecting this family from snakes," he recalled.

"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," Raven said.

"Yeah! That was it," Beast Boy replied, pleased she knew the story. "Anyway my parents would always read it to me, especially when I was recovering from Sakutia. One day my mom was out and this snake came out of nowhere. It lunged for her and all I could think about was how I wished I could turn into that mongoose from the story and save her…and then I did. That's how we knew I had powers," he finished, staring off in the distance.

Raven weaved her fingers through his, watching his profile. "Thank you for sharing that with me," she said honestly.

The changeling turned to her smiling. He cleared his throat and rolled back his shoulders. "My turn," he said, grinning. "Why do you still keep all your emotions in your mirror, even after you destroyed Trigon?"

Raven sighed. "Before we faced my father, it was easier to keep control of my emotions if they were trapped in a secure location; that location being Nevermore. After I defeated him, I was able to wield my emotions more freely, but I still have to be cautious. There's a part of me that Trigon still has influence over. If I join all of my emotions with myself, I'm afraid I won't be strong enough to control Rage. It's just…safer to keep them there, even if it means I can't express myself completely sometimes," she explained, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Beast Boy nodded, taking in the information. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

Raven swallowed, nervous to ask her next question but thinking it necessary. "If Terra ever sought you out and…and she said she wanted things to go back to normal…would you go with her?" The end of her question came out like a whisper.

"No," Beast Boy responded, his eyebrows furrowed. "Things can't just go back to normal. As much as it hurt at the time, I knew when I saw her at that school that things weren't ever gonna to be the same again." He swallowed uncomfortably. "At least for me…she died in that cave."

Raven's eyes widened at his admission. He looked up at her then, his eyes intense. "Are you scared to be with me?"

She thought about kissing him so she could avoid his question, but he had been so honest about Terra that she felt like she owed him the truth. "Yes."

"Why?" he asked, his eyes burning into her.

"That's another question."

"Why?" he repeated, frowning.

"I'm afraid what I'll do around you," she whispered. "I'm afraid I'll hurt you. I'm afraid I won't be able to handle when this ends."

"Why do you think it's going to end?"

She removed her hand from his, feeling tears prick her eyes. "I just don't think there could be a happy ending for us, Gar. I can't get out of this unscathed. I tried so hard to keep it inside," she said, feeling her powers ripple. "I don't want to get hurt again, but I already have because…there's no way you…you can-"

"Love you?" Beast Boy guessed. When she didn't respond he smiled sadly at her. "Well I guess we'll have to figure it out together, because I already do." He cupped her cheek and pressed her into a kiss. Raven held onto him, savoring the moment and for once telling herself there wouldn't be any repercussions for it.

~0~0~0~

Raven vacuumed the last of her belongings into her _glinktorp_. While their vacation had been short, it had been well worth it. Rather than travel halfway across Europe, Raven had decided to take one for the team and teleport them home. She told herself she could collapse into bed as soon as they returned to the Tower.

Beast Boy used his Tamaranean creature to sweep up his toiletries. He turned to Raven as he finished packing. "Cy called me earlier. Robin apparently figured out the Titans North thing."

"Who did he decide to go with?" Raven asked, tidying up their bedding.

"Gnarrk, Kole, Jericho, Red Star and Herald," he told her. "I guess Jericho was alright with traveling since he and Kole are dating, and Red Star heads North all the time anyway. Besides, it's not like it will be too hard if they have Herald."

"That seems like a good fit," Raven commented, using her powers to reset the hotel pillows. "We really need to recruit more female Titans," she added as an afterthought.

"Totally. It's beginning to feel like a bit of a sausage party. At least Ravager seems like she'll be joining soon," Beast Boy agreed, moving into the bedroom with his _glinktorp_ slung around his shoulder.

Raven nodded to herself. Despite it all, she still felt a little uneasy about Ravager. She seemed trustworthy enough, and she trusted Jericho's opinion of her, but the girl was brash. It unnerved Raven. Then again, being poisoned via katana was sure to leave her with a poor impression of the villainess turned hero.

"I'm ready to go when you are," Beast Boy said, causing her to shake her thoughts clear.

"I'll miss this place," Raven admitted, staring out their hotel window into the harbor. She felt Beast Boy come up to stand behind her. Her wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Me too."

Raven turned around in his arms and covered her mouth with his. When she broke apart from him, he regarded her with glowing eyes. His mouth curved into a smile and she mirrored his expression. Taking a small step back from him, she took his hand, and then teleported them back home.

They touched down on the Tower's roof; Beast Boy reaching out to steady her as she practically collapsed from the effort. She slung an arm around his shoulder, and the two Titans walked downstairs to greet their friends.

Beast Boy excitedly told them all of the fun places they had visited. When the conversation eventually steered to the Titans North, Starfire pulled Raven to the side away from the boys.

"I do hope it is not too personal to ask if you and Friend Beast Boy made passionate love-"

"Starfire," Raven snapped quietly.

Starfire's face fell, realizing she probably wasn't going to get a detailed description. Her expression lit up, however, as Raven reluctantly gave her a shy nod, confirming her suspicions.

"Oh glorious! Do not worry Friend, your secret shall be safe with me!" the alien beamed, trapping Raven in a tight hug.

After a few more minutes talking with her friends, Raven retired to her room, thoroughly exhausted. Just before she was about the climb into bed, she heard a knock at her door. Sighing in irritation, moved to her doorway to see who it was.

"Just thought I'd check to see if you're okay," Beast Boy said, scratching the back of his head nervously.

Raven cocked an eyebrow, not sure why he was uneasy. "I was just about to take a nap."

"Oh, okay. Have a good nap," he replied, making no move to leave her doorway.

Raven sighed. "Is there something you want to talk about, Beast Boy?"

Beast Boy glanced at the floor. "I, uh, just wanted to make sure things were gonna be okay…and that you weren't thinking about…breaking up or anything."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "I'm not going to break up with you."

Beast Boy let out a huge puff of relief. "Oh, good! I just thought maybe you were having second thoughts back there. Well, that's awesome then 'cuz you know I really like you and stuff."

A playful smirk appeared on her face. "I thought you said you loved me."

Beast Boy's entire face went stark red. "Um, well…I…yeah, and…you see…I-"

She cut him off with a kiss. When she broke it, her eyes blazed with affection. "It's okay, Gar," she said, "I love you too."

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _It was fun to include my own twist on Beast Boy's backstory. Also, it is cannon for Raven to fear what she will do because of her love for Beast Boy, as I've mentioned before. Anyway, I thought it was important to include some of Raven's insecurities._

 _Most of my family is Greek, so I had a lot of fun with this chapter._


	17. Twenty Years

**Author's Note:** _. And now, the less obvious villain I mentioned who has engaged Starfire in the show makes an appearance. I've always wanted to write a chapter that shows how the Titans handled Starfire's disappearance when she traveled through time in "How Long is Forever?" I think it's important to see how the_ rekmas _, or "the drifting"_ _takes ahold of the others when Starfire is not present to hold them together. As always, we will see how this unfolds through Raven's eyes. Enjoy!_

~0~0~0~

Everyone was on edge when the Titan alarm rang, and they discovered the cause of the trouble was Warp. Messing with time travel was always a tricky business, and after Starfire had told them what she saw when she had vanished through the wormhole, the other Titans weren't keen to have that be their future.

They found him in the same museum they had faced him last time. Raven assumed his objective was the same as last time, but when the Titans' arrived he appeared to be waiting patiently for them.

"Titans," he greeted them, his eyes darting to glare at Starfire. "So good to see you again."

"Give up Warp," Robin demanded.

"Yeah," Beast Boy agreed, "whatever it is you're…up…to," he said trailing off uncertainly.

"Whatever your evil intentions are you shall not interfere with my friends!" Starfire proclaimed, hovering threateningly over the villain.

Warp shook his head disapprovingly. "I must admit I should not have underestimated such valiant opponents solely because they were from the past." His eyes hardened as he looked at Starfire. "Not to worry, my dear. I'm not interested in your friends. I'm here to make _you_ history for ruining _my_ future!"

"Titans, go!" Robin shouted, clearly not eager to find the meaning behind Warp's cryptic words. He performed a front flip, tossing a bird-a-rang at the villain. Warp smirked, pressing a mere button on his suit and vaporizing the weapon.

"You really haven't learned a thing have you?" he questioned mockingly. He pulled a small bomb from behind his back and tossed it lazily on the floor. The Titans paused for only a moment before scattering, the bomb exploding only a moment later. Even though they escaped the brunt of the attack, the force sent most of the Titans soaring backwards.

Starfire appeared to be the only one who completely avoided the blast. She flew higher, turning around and zapping her eyebolts at Warp. This was the first attack that actually seemed to catch the time-traveller off guard, for he stumbled into a museum exhibit, nearly knocking the glass casing over.

Warp sneered. "This is the last time you interfere with my destiny, Girl," he snapped. In one swift motion, Warp tossed out a magnetic lasso, which wrapped around Starfire. The weapon sent violent shocks throughout her entire body and she let out a scream.

"Starfire!" Robin shouted as he and the other Titans rushed forward.

Warp angled his shoulder lasers at the ceiling and a thick pile of debris fell in front of them, blocking their view of Starfire.

"We have to get to them before they pass through a wormhole!" Robin shouted over the noise of the falling cement.

"We need to take out the vortex regulator," Cyborg yelled back, preparing his sonic cannon.

"There's no time," Raven told them as the dust cleared. Across the room Warp had opened a wormhole and was preparing to pass through it with an unconscious Starfire.

"No!" Beast Boy called helplessly.

Raven's eyes glowed white, fearing her next move would be risky, but knowing they didn't have another option. _"Azarath Metrion Zinthos_ ," she cried, and she and the male Titans were caught up in her corporeal form. She flew towards the wormhole, right behind Warp and Starfire. She followed them through it, feeling it seal behind her at the last moment.

Warp watched in alarm as her powers pulsed aggressively. "You fools! What are you-" he never got to finish his sentence, for Raven's powers absorbed his suit.

 _No!_ Raven screamed in her mind. Her abilities were completely uncontained in this place lost in time. They lapped at the edges of the space-time continuum until a single crack formed, tearing at the border of the tunnel as if it were wallpaper. Raven felt her corporeal form being sucked into the crack, her powers releasing Warp and Starfire with a jolt. She and the boys tumbled out of the tunnel into blackness.

Raven jolted awake, surprised to find herself alone. She was in a white room with no visible walls or floors. As she stood up trillions of orbs containing fuzzy visuals swirled around her. She blinked once, twice. If she didn't know any better, it looked like these orbs contained memories.

 _Or realities._

She didn't even have time to gather her thoughts when the internal barrage on her mind began.

 _"Raven! Where are we? Where's Starfire?"_

 _"Lil' lady what's going on?"_

 _"Dudes, are we in Raven's mind? Aw, Man, not again!"_

"Quiet!" Raven snapped, feeling a headache coming on. "Everyone just calm down, I'm trying to figure this out myself."

She walked forwards, not really having a set plan. She tried to think about this logically. They were in the wormhole, and now they weren't. Everything in the wormhole represented time and everything that was, is, and will be. If they fell through a crack…then-

"We are in an alternate reality," Raven discovered, calming as common sense returned to her. "In the past when we've faced Slade, I was able to stop time, so I think this time I've…broken it."

 _"Broken time? We're screwed!"_ Beast Boy shrieked in her mind.

Raven massaged her temples. "Let me be more specific," she said with irritation. "We've fallen through a fracture in time that I've created. The place we're in now seems to contain all the forgotten realities lost in time."

 _"Forgotten realities?"_ Cybrog asked. _"You mean like, things that could have happened but didn't because of time travel?"_

"Sort of," Raven said, trying to avoid the swirling visuals as she continued walking. "Since all of you were contained in my soul-self when we fell, you must have entered my mind."

 _"Ha! I knew it!"_ Beast Boy shouted.

Raven clutched her head. "If you could keep your voices _down_ , I might be able to concentrate enough to prevent you from being lost in my head forever," she snapped.

 _"Oops. Sorry."_

 _"Raven,"_ Robin broke in, _"Where's Starfire? Can your sense her?"_

Raven shook her head and then, realizing they probably couldn't see the gesture from inside her mind, decided to speak. "She's not here; I know that much. I don't see how she and Warp could have gotten far if the space-time continuum is broken. They're probably still trapped in the wormhole with nowhere to go."

 _"So they're like…frozen or something?"_ Beast Boy ventured.

"Exactly."

 _"What's the plan to get us out of here then?"_ Cyborg inquired.

Raven paused in thought. "All of the visuals in this dimension are broken realities," she thought out loud. "So-"

 _"So theoretically, if we follow one reality to where time travel overlaps, we should pop back through the wormhole,"_ Robin concluded, finishing her thought.

"Exactly," Raven said. "Hopefully by then all of you will detach from my mind."

 _"Which one do we pick?"_ Beast Boy asked, making an effort to keep his voice down.

Raven weaved through all the realities, reaching out with her powers. She had one in mind that she had to see, and knowing the others, she guessed they would feel the same way. She closed her eyes trying to sense the one she was searching for. After a few moments she opened her eyes and levitated around a clump of realities before coming to rest in front of the right one.

"This one," she told them, before reaching out and slipping through the portal.

She felt herself fall, and she turned wildly in the air before she landed on her feet. Her surroundings faded into view. The glass cases, the metal railings, the concrete flooring settled in around her. Warp was already there, freezing the guards who approached him. He turned to the clock in front of him, slipping his hand through the case.

"The Clock of Eternity, valuable in the past, priceless in the future," he mused, surveying the clock.

 _"Woah,"_ Cyborg breathed, _"This is when-"_

 _"Star disappeared,"_ Beast Boy finished.

"Yes," Raven confirmed, glancing up as their past selves entered the museum from above, posing on one of the metal overhangs. "I don't know why…but I felt like this was the one we should follow back."

The others watched through her eyes. Raven moved forwards to get a better look, knowing she would be completely invisible to anyone in this reality. She might as well have been a ghost.

 _"Hold on,"_ Robin cut in, always the most logical, _"When this reality is complete, twenty years will have passed. Are we going to be stuck in here for twenty years?"_

"No," Raven told him, as their past selves engaged with Warp. "We're passive observers. As long as we live through the entire reality to the end, it doesn't matter how quickly we view it."

 _"So we can fast-forwards parts, like on a remote?"_ Beast Boy asked.

"Not quite, we won't be able to control what parts we see and what parts we pass by. We're in a crack in the space-time continuum after all. Time is damaged here. We'll just have to follow this reality and see where it takes us. " Raven glanced up as the Warp in this reality addressed their past selves.

"Ta-ta, Titans. I've enjoyed our time together but I've got a very bright future ahead of me," Warp taunted them. He made to step through the wormhole. Raven held her breath, and she could feel the others watching anxiously in her mind.

"Uuaaagh!" Starfire yelled, flying towards Warp.

"What-" Warp started, hesitating at the wormhole. Before he knew what was happening, Starfire collided with his back, pushing the two of them through the portal. Robin dove for the closing hole, his arm outstretched. He missed the entrance by seconds.

 _And now…we wait,_ Raven thought, aware that the boys could probably still hear her. The four of them settled in, preparing to learn how four close friends could fall apart. Raven could sense the dread and hesitation they felt, and she knew she mirrored their feelings.

"Starfire!" Robin called out in alarm.

Beast Boy stared at where Starfire had been moments before. "Uh…where did she go?" he asked.

Cyborg quickly walked over to the place Starfire had vanished, using his technology to scan for any signs of her. He turned around a few moments later, his eyes betraying the dismay he must have felt. "Warp said he was traveling a hundred years into the future. That's where they must be going."

"Well we need to stop them!" Robin demanded.

"How do you suppose we do that?" Raven asked him. "We don't have a time machine."

Robin turned to Cyborg. "Can't you build something? Find some way to bring them back?"

Cyborg shook his head miserably. "Man, I have no idea where to even begin with this sort of thing."

The Titans' leader gazed at Raven, his expression becoming more desperate. "Raven. Maybe you could use a spell or something?"

Raven glanced back at him, her expression becoming uneasy. "I…I'm not really sure what I could do but…I think it's our only option."

Robin nodded, still extremely agitated, but calming slightly at Raven's agreement. Beast Boy came up to Robin, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving him a half-hearted smile.

"Don't worry, Dude," he said, his voice shaking a little. "If anyone can get Star back, it'll be Raven." Beast Boy looked to the empath, his eyes wide with hope.

~0~0~0~

As soon as they returned to the Tower, Raven went to her room to look up all the spells she knew that involved time. Robin paced back and forth across the ops room while Cyborg fiddled with the scanners, searching for anything that might be of use to the team. Beast Boy sat on the couch staring at the floor for what seemed like hours.

Raven emerged from her room again when the sun began to set. All three boys' heads snapped in her direction, looking hopeful.

"Did you find anything?" Robin questioned immediately.

Raven shook her head. "I've tried everything I know, but I've never brought anyone back from the future before. The spells I've been attempting are incredibly complex. I may not even be trying the right ones."

"Well keep looking," Robin snapped, sounding harsher than he probably meant to.

"Give her a break, Dude, she'll figure it out," Beast Boy assured them both.

"Besides," Cyborg said, "Star's fighting Warp right now. She'll probably kick his copper butt into history and be home before you know it."

"But how long will that take?" Raven inquired, voicing the question no one wanted to ask.

Robin heaved a shuddering breath. "I'm going to bed," he said abruptly, and then left the room.

Raven shook her head at his retreating figure, and then turned to her other friends. "I'm going to keep searching. I'll let you know if I find anything."

"We believe in you, Raven," Cyborg told her, trying to sound optimistic. She nodded in response, and then left the room for the night, Beast Boy following not too long after.

Cyborg looked around the empty common room miserably. His eyes caught the Tamaranean beads he had broken only that morning. He felt beyond guilty, seeing them lying there now.

"Happy _Blorthog_ ," he said to no one, and then left.

No one got much sleep that night.

When the Titans emerged into ops the next morning, everyone had bags under their eyes. Raven clutched a spell book to her chest as she fixed her morning herbal tea. Robin sifted through files and files, trying to find any sort of information on a villain that hadn't even been born yet. Cyborg watched the scanners, his eyes tiredly searching for any sort of signal of Starfire. Beast Boy yawned loudly, unsure of what to do, so he flipped on the TV.

The reaction was instantaneous.

"What do you think you're doing?" Robin said, coming over and snatching the remote from the changeling. "How can you watch TV at a time like this?"

"Dude," Beast Boy said with his hands up. "It's not like there's something else we could be doing! We just have to wait for Raven to figure it out!"

Robin turned to Raven. "Well? Have you found anything yet?"

Raven's eyes narrowed. "No, I haven't. I don't see why all the pressure has to be on me, when I'm just as clueless on what to do as the rest of you."

"Well it's not like I'm finding anything on these scanners," Cyborg chimed in, irritated. "She's disappeared without a trace."

"Ugh!" Robin shouted, going back over to the table and knocking all the files onto the ground. He left the room soon after, the other Titans watching him leave with helpless expressions on their face.

The next few weeks passed in a flash.

The tension continued to grow and fester among the remaining Titans. One day the Titan alarm was triggered, and they were called downtown to face Overload. Sleep deprived and nauseous from stress, the Titans did their best to take down the villain.

They should have also realized their cohesion was off as well.

"Titans, go!" Robin yelled.

Cyborg prepared his sonic cannon, accidently letting loose his power before he saw Raven fly in front of him.

" _Azarath Metrion…_ Ah!" she cried as the blast hit her square in the back. Her powers jolted to the side, sweeping under Cyborg and Robin and knocking them both down. The Boy Wonder tripped and let go of a smoke bomb, effectively blasting Beast Boy backwards.

Overload escaped.

When they returned to the Tower, the tension finally bubbled over.

"We couldn't have been sloppier," Robin said, shaking his head angrily.

"Well _you're_ the one that took _me_ out, Dude!" Beast Boy clipped back.

"It's not _my_ fault. Raven's powers got me from behind."

"Need I remind you all that Cyborg was the one who blasted me," Raven cut in.

"Hey don't pin this on me. You flew in front of _me_ ," Cyborg snapped.

"We can't let villains like Overload get away because we aren't communicating," Robin spoke again, frustrated. "Look, I'm trying my best here, but I can't do everything. I still need to focus on finding Starfire-"

"We get it!" Beast Boy snapped. "We all miss her, Dude. Don't act like you're the only one."

Robin narrowed his eyes. "I never said that," he said through gritted teeth.

"She was right," Raven spoke up, causing all three boys to turn to her. "Look at us. We're already drifting apart."

Robin frowned. "That's not true-"

"Come on, Man. Give it a rest," Cyborg interrupted tiredly.

The four Titans stood in silence, staring miserably at their feet. After several moments Robin sighed. "I'm sorry for snapping. I'm just really worried about her, but I know you guys feel this way just as much as I do. Let's just try and work together on this."

"Sounds good to me," Cyborg said.

"Yeah," Beast Boy added.

Raven nodded. "I agree."

"Starfire would have wanted this," Robin told them.

They all tried to ignore how these days they talked about her as if she were already dead.

The reality zoomed ahead suddenly, passing by days, then weeks, then months. It finally stopped in the ops room again. All three male Titans were there, and the room crackled with animosity.

" _Raven, what do you think is happening?"_ Robin asked from inside her mind.

Raven shook her head. "I don't know, but I think this is an important part of the reality."

Sure enough the boys' alternate selves barely acknowledged the others' presences. Beast Boy was at the kitchen counter eating cereal. Cyborg sat on the sofa, watching the TV on mute. Robin was hunched over a pile of notes. It was eerily quiet in the room.

Until it wasn't.

Beast Boy swept his arm forcefully across the counter, knocking the cereal bowl over and spraying milk and broken ceramic everywhere. Cyborg and Robin's heads snapped up, their expressions alarmed and outraged at the changeling's outburst.

Beast Boy bounded into the center of the room angrily. "What's wrong with us? We're not even heroes anymore!"

"Man, what?" Cyborg said, frowning.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Robin said harshly.

Beast Boy rounded on the Titans' leader. "What am I talking about? What am I _talking about?_ We don't get along, we've haven't won a battle in ages, we don't even _mention_ Starfire anymore, and Raven hasn't come out of her room in _weeks!_ "

Robin flinched at the mention of Starfire, but regained his composure. "Raven's just going through something. She'll come out of it."

"Nah, Rob. This is different. I have to agree with BB on this one," Cyborg said.

"She's working on spells to get Starfire back! She's fine!" Robin fired back.

"Sounds like you're in denial," Beast Boy clipped.

Robin narrowed his eyes at the changeling. "She's. Fine." Each word was spoken through clenched teeth.

Beast Boy held his hands up. "Whatever you say, Dude. Raven's perfectly fine. And Starfire's coming back on her own."

"Don't start acting like you've ever really tried to get her back. All of us worked so hard-"

"What did _you_ do?," Beast Boy bit back, his voice heavy with emotion. "You don't care that we miss her just as much as you do. You're so busy thinking about yourself that you can't even see that the team's falling apart!"

"BB come on," Cyborg said, trying to reason with them both.

Robin stepped forwards so he was in Beast Boy's face. "Don't you _ever_ talk about her to me again."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"I'm your leader."

"Didn't do Starfire much good."

Robin lunged at Beast Boy, punching him in the jaw. Beast Boy fell backwards, shaking his head and then transformed into a tiger. The two Titans battled each other while Cyborg did his best to restrain his teammates. Suddenly, black energy wrapped around all three of them and held them in place. Raven walked calmly through the door, her hood drawn.

"Friends don't fight," she said, not looking at any of them as she released them.

Beast Boy changed back into a human, wiping blood from his lip. "He's not my friend," he said gesturing to Robin. He turned to face the Boy Wonder fully. "And you're _not_ my leader. Not anymore."

"You going solo then?" Robin asked mockingly. "You'll never last. You can't make it on your own."

"Watch me," the changeling snapped, storming to the door while Cyborg looked on helplessly.

"Go then," Robin called. "The Titans have been dead for weeks," he added, more to himself than anyone else.

Once Beast Boy had gone, Robin gathered his files from the table. He turned to Cyborg. "We tried. We tried to make it work but…she would have been so disappointed in us," he said, his voice cracking. He straightened. "I know you've always wanted to lead the Titans," he said, his voice strangely emotionless. "Now's your chance. I'm done."

As Robin left ops, Cyborg gazed at Raven. He found he couldn't even see her eyes to gauge her reaction. Her head tilted down to the floor, her face almost completely covered; all except her mouth.

"Raven…" Cyborg started, at a loss for words, "I…I think this is it."

"Friends don't fight," she said again, her voice sounding detached.

Cyborg regarded Raven cautiously. "…Rae?"

She turned away from him then, her body hunched over, drifting in the direction of the door. "Never coming back. She's never coming back."

Cyborg was left alone.

That night there were flashes from each room. Beast Boy packing his bags, angry tears running down his face. Raven muttering to herself, occasionally lifting her head hopefully to find no one was there, and then retreating into her hunched position. Cyborg, staring out his bedroom window, not bothering to pack up his belongings. Robin hunching over his desk, scribbling and sorting through files, finally discarding them all and burying his face in his hands, his body racked with sobs.

He ended up being the first to leave, then Beast Boy after he had said goodbye to Cyborg and had attempted to say goodbye to Raven. The changeling had stood in front of her door for almost an hour, begging her to come out. He had ended up screaming at her closed door until his voice went hoarse, and it became hard to breath.

The empath stayed in her room for several more weeks. Cyborg would bring food to her and leave it outside her door, until one day, the food remained untouched. He had broken into her room to find abandoned spell pages strewn all over her room, more evidence that she had done all she could to get Starfire back. He didn't need to call her name to know she had also left.

The reality jumped onwards in flashes. Raven wandering, Robin moving to Bludhaven, Beast Boy fighting on his own, Cyborg making repairs to the deteriorating Tower, Beast Boy losing again and again, Raven finding the asylum, Robin becoming Nightwing, Beast Boy entering the one man zoo, Cyborg's last power cell finally draining.

Years passed. The weather turned cold. They sky turned gray. Then a wormhole opened up outside the Tower.

Starfire fell through a few moments later, holding the vortex regulator. Raven, and the boys, who were still trapped in her mind, followed the alien as she met all of their future selves. They watched as she convinced herself their broken friendship was due to Warp's meddling. They watched as her heart shattered when she realized the truth. They watched up until the end of the broken reality when Nightwing handed the Clock of Eternity to Starfire. She passed through the wormhole with tears in her eyes, and that's when Raven rushed forwards, breaking through the wormhole once more and tumbling back into the space-time continuum.

She screamed and clutched her head as the boys tumbled out of her very being, one by one. They all toppled into the tunnel and drifted there limply.

When the pain of releasing them ebbed, Raven regarded them in silence. They stared back at her and each other, not quite knowing what to say. Beast Boy and Robin seemed to be actively avoiding the other's gaze, as if the harsh reality they saw made them feel guilty.

Robin remembered himself the quickest. "Where's Starfire?" he asked, his voice urgent.

Raven pointed behind the boys, and they turned around. Sure enough, Warp and Starfire were frozen in the space-time continuum, Warp's leash still wrapped tightly around the alien.

"Time's still broken," Raven informed them. "Get Starfire away from Warp. I'll need to heal the crack I've made with my powers. As soon as it's sealed, all six of us need to escape back through the wormhole, or we might be lost in time."

"Dang, well that's enough to get me moving," Cyborg said, drifting in the direction of Starfire and Warp, Robin following his lead.

"Raven," Beast Boy called to her, making the empath turn around.

"I'll be okay, don't worry," she told him. "Trust me."

Beast Boy gave her an uneasy smile and then went to join the others. He appeared as though he wanted to say something to her, but then must have decided that now wasn't the right time. Once they had separated Starfire from Warp, Raven took a deep breath and summoned her powers.

" _Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"_ she shouted, using her energy to slowly mend the tear she had created. She grunted with the effort, feeling the wormhole open to her left.

"Raven!" Robin yelled.

"Go!" she called back, her arms shaking with the effort of sealing the fracture. She felt her friends pass behind her as they moved to the wormhole with a limp Starfire and a struggling Warp. She could feel Beast Boy hesitating at the portal, unsure if he should pass through without her. "Go, Gar. Now!" she screamed, her eyes glowing white.

Beast Boy stared at her, concern written all over his face, but he did as he was told. As soon as he passed through the portal, Raven clenched her fists, finally sealing up the last of the crack. Using her last remaining strength, she levitated through the wormhole and collapsed on the other side, heaving.

Beast Boy was at her side in an instant, helping her up. She let him assist her, not trusting herself to be able to stand on her own just yet. Starfire was just coming to, her eyes clouded with confusion. Warp struggled against Cyborg's bear hug, his arms pressed tight against his sides so he could not reach the advanced technology of his suit. Warp's vortex regulator was strewn along the museum floor in pieces, not to be used again in the near future.

"Your future's not looking so bright after all," Robin told the villain, his mouth raising in a half-smile.

"Man, let's book this guy and get home," Cyborg said, then sniffed a little. "Besides," he added, his voice thick, "I wanna give y'all a big bear hug."

"Yeah totally," Beast Boy responded, shaking his head as if to clear the reality they had all seen.

"I think a hug is definitely in order," Robin agreed.

"I'll allow it," Raven added.

"Ooo! I do so very much enjoy the hugs!" Starfire cheered, not quite knowing the reason for said hug, but always excited to embrace her friends.

"You brats ruined my future… _again._ If anyone deserves a hug, it's me." Warp muttered bitterly, still retrained against Cyborg's chest.

"Man, you're getting one right now."

~0~0~0~

As promised, when the Titans returned to the Tower, they all joined in for a group hug. They spent the rest of the night explaining to Starfire what they had seen in the broken reality. She listened attentively, her expression becoming sadder as the story progressed. After they finished, she nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes. I was most troubled about what I saw when I journeyed through the wormhole the first time," she said. "It does still terrify me that the rekmas could claim our friendship."

"But you brought the Clock of Eternity back," Beast Boy argued. "Doesn't that mean everything's gonna be good now?"

Starfire shook her head. "Although this means I will not disappear for twenty years, our friendship is a whole other matter. It has nothing to do with the time-travel. It is just something we will have to consider moving forwards."

"I think after everything we've seen we'll definitely keep that in mind, Star," Robin said, squeezing her hand. Raven assumed he was still thinking about the pain his alternative self went through at the loss of her and eventually, everyone around him.

"Hold on," Beast Boy said, still thoroughly confused. "If Star brought back the clock, then like…why did Warp come back this time? And why did he come back when we fought the Brotherhood of Evil?"

"He had that vortex regulator, remember?" Cyborg reminded him. "The dude could time travel _and_ sift through the realities to put the pieces together."

Beast Boy clutched his head. "Ugh, time-travel is so confusing!"

"Don't hurt yourself," Raven remarked dryly, and everyone laughed.

Later that night, Raven sat in her room, staring at the walls and floor. She tried to imagine what it would look like now, if pages and pages of spell books were scattered across her carpet. She shuddered, thinking about how damaged her mind could have been.

She opened her door, set on getting a drink of water when she saw Beast Boy standing outside. He jumped, clearly not expecting to see her so suddenly without knocking first.

Raven paused in her doorway. "Is something wrong?"

He smiled uneasily. "A couple things, actually."

Raven cocked an eyebrow. "Such as…?"

Beast Boy sighed, his eyebrows furrowed. If Raven didn't know any better, she would think he seemed aggravated. "Can you just…cut it out with the 'bashing me' stuff in front of the others? It's super embarrassing."

Raven paused, caught off guard. "You mean the comment concerning time-travel?"

"Yeah it's just, like…" he made a frustrated noise, "Look, I _know_ I'm not the smartest guy around but like, I just thought out of everyone _you'd_ have my back."

Raven felt a sudden stab of guilt pierce her chest. "Beast Boy...I'm really sorry. I didn't think that…well, to be honest, I didn't think. You're right. It's wrong of me to attack you like that, especially in front of the others." Raven looked off to the side. "And while it might shock you…I honestly don't think you're stupid."

He perked up. "You don't?"

Raven shook her head. "You've managed to solve missions multiple times by coming up with solutions I hadn't even considered. I suppose I haven't been doing a very good job expressing that. I'm sorry."

Beast Boy let out a breath. "Thanks, Rae. That means a lot."

"Of course."

"Now…it's my turn to apologize to you."

"What are you talking about?"

Beast Boy stared down at his feet. "I've just been thinking about the reality I saw and…I just feel awful about it. I'm really sorry."

"Sorry? For what?" Raven asked, still thoroughly confused.

"I should have reached out to you more. I shouldn't have let you just stay in your

room like that and let your mind…I love you so much Rae, I can't believe I would let that happen."

She stared at him, her expression soft. "You shouldn't blame yourself. Besides, you didn't love me back then."

"Then as your friend, I should have done something."

Raven leaned in, kissing him. She pulled back after a moment, regarding him seriously. "We can't change the past, but we can learn from it. I don't know about you, but I'm going to make sure nothing of what we saw ever happens."

Beast Boy's mouth quirked into smile. "You can count on it," he said, placing a hand to her cheek and capturing her mouth once more.


	18. Power Switch

**Author's Note:** _The following is taken from the comics based on the show. Only three more chapters after this!_

~0~0~0~

Raven let out a huge puff of breath as she felt him watching her eagerly. She did her best to ignore him, but she could feel her pointer fingernail digging into the pad of her thumb in annoyance.

"Do you _mind_?" she hissed through gritted teeth.

Beast Boy let out a groan and, he fell backwards onto her floor. "You've been meditating for hours Rae! Let's do something already."

"It's only been a half hour."

"Well it _feels_ like hours!"

Raven rolled her eyes and stood up, realizing she wasn't going to get her concentration back with him in the room. "I think you should go for a bit."

Beast Boy looked hurt. "Why? Can't we hang or something?"

"You need to respect that I need to meditate. It's nothing personal," she said, brushing past him and hitting the button on her wall. The door slid open.

"You're…kicking me out?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Just for the afternoon. I can't concentrate with you here."

Beast Boy's ears dropped as he walked across her room into the hallway. He turned to her, his eyes glum, his lips pouted. "Why do you have to meditate so much?" he complained.

Raven sighed. "You don't understand my powers Gar. I _need_ to do this. It's…hard to explain."

"Sometimes I wish you didn't have your powers," he admitted.

She avoided his eyes. "Me too."

The door slid shut in his face.

After a couple hours of meditation, Raven finally felt confident enough to continue her day. She felt a little bad about earlier; she knew Beast Boy hadn't meant any harm. He just wanted to spend time with her, which was honestly flattering. Unfortunately, sometimes her powers got in the way of that.

Making up her mind to go find him, she exited her room only to have the Titan alarm go off in her ears. She groaned in frustration, pulling up her hood. Hanging out would have to wait.

~0~0~0~

Raven wasn't easily surprised, but she certainly didn't expect to see Mad Mod again. The villain had been quiet for months now, so the fact that he was in the middle of the street skipping around like a loon was a little unsettling.

"Well, well look who it is!" Mod shouted gleefully, doing a little turn.

"Since when did he turn young again?" Cyborg asked, glancing at Robin.

Mad Mod waved his cane in the cybernetic teen's face. "Since _none of your business_ , Chap! So rude; teenagers these days. If I were mayor of this here city, I'd make all you lil' brats behave the way you're supposed to." The villain paused. "Say, that's not a bad idea. Maybe I'll pay the mayor a lil' visit!"

"Titans, go!" Robin shouted, clearly not in the mood for Mod's antics. The leader bounded forwards, his bo staff extended. Mod danced around him, an insane smile on his face.

"Tsk, tsk. Come now, anyone ever tell you to stop talking and start listening?" The red-haired villain pressed a button on his hand and pointed it at Robin. A sonic blast rang in Robin's ears causing the Titan to grip his head. He was thrown backwards into Raven.

As Beast Boy and Cyborg engaged Mod next, Robin helped Raven up. "Sorry. I thought you would have gotten out of the way in time."

He hadn't meant it as an insult, but Raven was a little annoyed. "Sorry I'm not as quick-footed as you," she said dryly, before levitating towards the battle.

Cyborg and Beast Boy had already been subdued so it was her and Starfire's turn. Raven vaguely heard Cyborg and Beast Boy arguing about something. She wasn't sure what it was, but she heard Beast Boy say something along the lines of "Well _you_ try changing into an elephant!"

Mod glanced at Starfire appraisingly as the two girls flew into his view. "Such a pretty face," he quipped. "Must be a bother. I could take it away for you, love."

"No thank you!" Starfire cried, firing her eyebolts. "You are the creepy!"

Mad Mod flipped back effortlessly, but threw himself to the side as he narrowly avoided a car Raven tossed at him. The look on his face indicated he was no longer having fun.

"You lot haven't learned nothin' these past few years," he said disapprovingly. "Maybe it's time to try some new shoes on for size!" The madman laughed joyfully as he pressed another button on his cane and slammed the staff into the pavement. A red sphere engulfed the five Titans.

Everything went black.

Raven woke with a start, the pavement of the street hard against her back. She tried to sense the others around her but found she couldn't. She brought a hand to her head, moaning in pain. As her eyes adjusted, she froze when she saw her hand. It was covered in green spandex.

Raven sat upright, glancing down at her body. She had only been dressed like this once before, when she and the others had all gone 'Robining.' Why was she dressed in his uniform?

"Yo, Raven! Why are you…" Cyborg trailed off as he noticed Raven's widened eyes…or mask rather, when she saw him. She stared at him in shock for good reason.

Cyborg…was no longer a Cyborg.

The once half-robot glanced down at himself, marveling at the flesh on his body. His head was covered in smooth brown skin, his muscular figure clearly visible through a tight-fitting purple and black spandex uniform.

A uniform that belonged to Beast Boy.

"What's going on?" Cyborg asked.

A female scream caused both Titans to snap their heads in Starfire's direction. The girl was standing upright, examining her limbs, which were now made of mechanical parts.

"What has happened to me?" she wailed, her body jerking in abnormal movements.

Another shriek, this one male, sounded from behind them. Beast Boy emerged in Raven's cloak, each step he took causing a crack in the pavement.

"Dudes!" he cried, and a car exploded behind them.

"Easy BB!" Cyborg exclaimed.

"I can't help it!" Beast Boy whined, black energy crackling all around him. "I'm all messed up!"

"Mad Mod clearly swapped all of our powers somehow," Raven concluded, examining her utility belt. "We'll just have to find him to reverse the effects."

"Where is Robin?" Starfire questioned, and everyone looked around realizing the Boy Wonder was nowhere in sight. Then they heard a sound from above.

"WEEEEEEEEEEEE!" the Titans' leader cried as he twisted through the air gracefully. "This is so _amazing_!"

Despite her distress from before, Starfire let out a giggle. Even Raven had to admit she rarely saw Robin this carefree. Nonetheless, there was a mission to complete. Raven tried reaching out with her powers before remembering she didn't currently have them. She struggled with her utility belt for a moment before finding a grappling hook. She used what little aim she had to secure a loose grip around Robin's ankle, gently tugging him down. Once Robin noticed the cord wrapped around his leg, he floated to the ground to meet the rest of his team.

"Sorry," he said, scratching his head. "I guess I got a little carried away."

"I'll say," Beast Boy said, sounding a little gloomier than usual.

Robin cleared his throat. "Well, we obviously need to find Mad Mod as soon as possible."

"Yes, I truly do not wish to look like this," Starfire said, and then immediately looked guilty at her mess up. Raven thought she caught Cyborg glancing away.

Robin cleared his throat. "Mod mentioned he wanted to take control of the city. I think our best bet is to visit City Hall. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the mayor might be in trouble."

"Just how are we supposed to even get there like this?" Beast Boy inquired skeptically, blasting another car into the air.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I think Rob, Rae and I have it easy with this whole switch up," Cyborg commented.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Beast Boy said, narrowing his eyes. Robin also frowned, and Starfire had crossed her arms.

Cyborg shrugged. "It's nothin' personal, but I think I can handle _turning into animals._ Besides, Raven doesn't have any powers right now, and Robin seems like he's got a handle on Star's pretty quickly."

"My powers are controlled by emotion," Starfire cut in crossly. "Robin may have been able to master flight, but there are more to my abilities then you may think."

"Yeah and turning into animals is hard!" Beast Boy added. "Do you know how much I have to learn about an animal before I turn into something? I could really get hurt!"

"And if anything, I have to compensate for not having any powers," Robin added.

"He does have a point though," Raven said, coming to Cyborg's defense. "It takes years of patience and meditation to control my powers. They require intense emotional and mental maturity and…" she glanced at Beast Boy who gave her an annoyed glare.

"Jeez, thanks for the confidence boost, Babe," he said, and then cringed when several windows burst behind him.

"Look, we could stand here arguing all day, but the mayor is in trouble," Robin said. "We need to go _now._ "

Starfire appeared hesitant. "Should we not help each other with controlling our powers first?"

"There's no time," Robin said, shaking his head. "Every moment we waste is a moment where something terrible could happen to the mayor."

"Robin's right. We gotta go," Cyborg said, and he and the Titans' leader started moving in the direction of City Hall, Beast Boy not far behind them. Starfire glanced at Raven, her one human eye blinking in worry. The two female Titans had dealt with this kind of switch before, and being impulsive hadn't ended well.

"Come on," Raven muttered, adjusting her mask, and the two reluctantly followed the boys.

No sooner had they approached the steps of Jump City Hall than two massive British robots crashed down the steps, blocking their path.

"Great. Now what?" Beast Boy said dryly.

"We fight," Robin replied, clenching his fists. "Titans, go!"

It wasn't a smooth battle to say the least.

While Robin was rather skilled in flying, he had not been able to summon starbolts or hone his "alien" strength. As soon as he got close to one of the robots, they sent him crashing into a nearby building. Raven was pleased with how well she used her utility belt-Robin kept it rather organized after all-but without her ability to levitate she struggled to dodge attacks and protect herself. She couldn't perform flips effortlessly like Robin, so most of the time she just had to avoid not being smashed to death. It ended up not even mattering, for Starfire had no idea how to control her body and ended up blasting the pale girl with her sonic cannon by accident.

Beast Boy and Cyborg weren't fairing much better. The green Titan produced a flimsy force field, which was shattered in a matter of moments by one of the robots. He waved his arms wildly, trying to summon any sort of power that wasn't a random, violent, discharge.

"Ah! Come on, come on!" he shrieked, sending out crackles of energy in every which way. Starfire screamed as she was knocked off her feet by one of his accidental blasts. Beast Boy's powers rippled along the street, and a large crack formed, causing the changeling to grip one side of the pavement to keep from falling through. Several civilians who had gathered to watch the battle screamed and ran to avoid the discharges of energy.

"Looks like it's up to me then," Cyborg said determinedly, clenching his fists. He grit his teeth as he prepared to transform. Raven watched him weakly from where she lay on the ground. She wasn't sure what sort of animal he was trying to replicate, but it didn't look pretty. He cried out in pain as his muscles rippled with effort. He didn't transform quickly enough, for one of the robots picked him up and tossed him down the street. Cyborg landed roughly on the pavement with a grunt.

The robots glanced at the fallen Titans and then, deciding there wasn't a threat, retreated back into City Hall. All five Titans moaned in pain as they dragged themselves to a safer area to reconvene. When they found a private alleyway, they watched several police cars wiz by, heading in the direction of Jump City Hall.

"Okay," Robin said, wincing as he rolled his shoulder, "Maybe that was a bad idea."

"Ya think?" Beast Boy asked sarcastically, his powers jerking outwards and accidently slapping Starfire. He shrunk his shoulders, his expression sheepish.

"Starfire was right, we need to teach each other how to control our powers," Raven said.

Robin sighed. "I agree. I hate to leave the scene of a crime knowing Mad Mod is up to something, but we're actually a greater danger to the public while we're like this."

"So what do we do? Leave?" Raven asked disbelievingly.

Robin frowned. "I don't like it either, but at least the police are at the scene right now. We need to train ourselves, and fast, before we can head back."

"Um…I do not mean to interrupt, but does anyone know the whereabouts of Friend Cyborg?" Starfire asked, clasping her mechanical hands together.

All four Titans jolted as a big thumping came from behind them. They turned to face the edge of the alleyway where a large, brown elephant stood blinking at them.

"Uh…I think he's stuck," Raven observed. The elephant made a trumpet-like noise as if to prove her point.

Robin pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright Titans. Let's hurry back to the Tower and set this straight. We don't have much time."

Cyborg stamped his foot in agreement.

~0~0~0~

The Titans met in their practice field, eyeing each other in their unusual states. Cyborg still hadn't been able to transform back into a human, so he stood by the others, occasionally waving his trunk around when he wanted to give input.

"So…where do we start?" Raven asked.

Robin scratched his chin, always the logical thinker. "First thing's first, we need to get Cyborg back. Beast Boy, why don't you help him out while the girls and I give each other pointers."

Beast Boy nodded, approaching Cyborg at a sloth's pace so his powers wouldn't zap out of control again. Robin glanced at Raven.

"It seems like you've got a pretty good handle on the utility belt," he observed, "but you need help with hand to hand."

Raven was a little embarrassed. "I'm no acrobat."

For some reason, her comment made Robin smile. "Luckily for you, I think I can help in that department." He moved beside her, showing her different ways to tighten her rolls and avoid attacks. Starfire sat on the ground, content with watching them for the time being. Raven attempted a front handspring but collapsed in a heap halfway through.

"That's actually good," Robin said, helping her up. "You just need to tighten your arms and core a little more." He stood up besides her, placing an arm on her hip to show her the correct way to turn her torso.

Unfortunately, Beast Boy chose to look over at that moment. His expression darkened and then a huge bolt of dark energy exploded from his body. The other Titans, including Cyborg as an elephant, dove for cover until it cleared.

"Um…sorry 'bout that," Beast Boy said, his cheeks bright red.

Robin stood up clearing his throat awkwardly. "No, that's alright. I should have known…"

"I think I've got a handle on it now, Robin. Thanks," Raven cut in, keen on interrupting this uncomfortable situation.

Robin let out a sigh of relief, and then turned to Starfire. "Maybe you could show me how to use your starbolts?"

Starfire nodded, giggling.

"While we're at it, I can show Star a thing or two about my machinery," Cyborg said, grinning proudly that he had transformed back into a human.

"Sounds good to me," Robin replied, smiling warmly at his friend.

While the three Titans worked together, Raven made her way over to Beast Boy. To her surprise he actively avoided her eye contact.

"Did I do something wrong?" she questioned.

He shook his head. "Nah, I just feel like a real jerk."

"Why?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.

Beast Boy sighed. "I see what you mean now about having to concentrate all the time. I honestly don't get how you do it. I can't even get through a sentence without-" a rock beside them engulfed in black energy and exploded. "-that happening," he finished, cringing.

Raven gave him a smile. It must have been an uncharacteristically large one for her because Beast Boy's eyes widened in alarm. She covered her mouth, not used to being so expressive without repercussions.

"My powers are difficult to live with at times. It's actually kind of…nice not having them for a little while," she admitted, surprising herself. "If you can gain control over them, however, you can achieve remarkable things."

He gazed at her miserably. "How? You make it look so easy."

Raven reached her gloved hand forwards, pinching his cheek playfully. "I think it's time we try to meditate."

The couple moved to a more secluded area, so Beast Boy could focus. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, but it became clear he could barely levitate.

"I don't know what I'm doing wrong," he groaned, frustrated.

"Try thinking about a quiet place," Raven suggested. "Outer space, or maybe the beach or-"

"A lakeside?" he asked, smiling slightly as he recalled their first official date.

She returned his expression. "Sure."

After a few minutes he finally got the hang of it. Raven watched as he began to levitate, too focused on his mental visual to notice. She crept out of the way to leave him be, marveling out how stealthy her steps were becoming. As she made her way over to the others, she noticed Robin had finally honed his super strength, and was beginning to form weak starbolts. She turned to her other friends, catching the tail end of their conversation.

"Friend Cyborg, about earlier," Starfire began uncertainly, "I did not mean to offend you."

"It's okay, Star," Cyborg replied, embracing her. "It took a long time for me to get used to it too." He let go of her after a moment, making sure she knew he genuinely forgave her for her comments about her less than desirable appearance. "Now, let's work on that sonic cannon. I'm sure you'll be able to give Mod a run for his money soon."

Starfire laughed at that.

Raven crossed her arms approvingly as Robin managed his first significant starbolt. She glanced over to Beast Boy and realized he had finished meditating, and was now focused on moving rocks with intense concentration written on his face. She gazed at him affectionately. He really was trying.

After several more minutes of practicing with their new abilities, Robin's communicator rang. He picked it up at once, and the other Titans gathered around him.

Raven peered at the screen, frowning. There was a very old man in front of them, wearing a police uniform. If she didn't know any better she would think that was-

"Chief Anderson?" Robin asked, thoroughly confused.

"Yes, it's me," the chief said in a weak voice. "Although I'm not looking my best right now. Come to think of it, you Titans are looking a bit odd yourselves."

"You are…so old," Starfire observed, covering her mouth.

The chief chuckled. "Unfortunately this is Mod's doing. He got to me earlier this morning, just as it appears he got to you."

Raven furrowed her eyebrows. "So that explains his sudden youth."

Chief Anderson nodded. "I'm being held captive inside one of the vaults in the Jump City Bank. I only managed to cut through my restraints moments ago to call you but….are you in any condition to assist the police force?"

Robin looked over at his team. They returned his gaze determinedly. "We're ready. We'll get you, and stop Mod."

"Thank you Titans," the chief replied, and then the transmission ended.

Robin turned to the rest of them. "Beast Boy, Raven, you break Chief Anderson out of the vault. Cyborg, Starfire and I will take on the robots in front of City Hall. Meet us over there when the chief is safe."

Beast Boy nodded. "We got this." He turned to Raven, levitating a little unsurely. "Ready Raven?"

Raven smirked. "As long as you don't send me to another dimension."

Beast Boy grinned.

~0~0~0~

It was definitely strange, having to be carried rather than vice versa. Beast Boy's levitation skills were shaky at best, but he was doing a remarkable job keeping them in the air. They reached the Jump City Bank in a matter of minutes, Raven using her gadgets to open the vault, which had been sealed closed.

Chief Anderson limped out in his weakened state, and Beast Boy under Raven's watch, used his healing powers to mend his chaffed wrists.

"Thank you," Chief Anderson wheezed. All three glanced up as more police forces arrived.

"We'll have to leave you with your colleagues for now," Raven told him, "but we'll be back with Mod so he can restore your youth."

Anderson nodded. "I understand. Good luck, Titans."

Beast Boy took Raven's hand, and the two drifted their way to Jump City Hall. When they were within range, Beast Boy pointed down below. "Look!"

Raven narrowed her eyes, trying to make out the figures below. It appeared as if one of the British robots had been subdued, and their friends were currently engaged with the other one. "We need to get closer," she told Beast Boy, and the green Titan did as he was told.

Raven swung her body, remembering what Robin had told her. "I want you to let go of me on three," she told the changeling.

"What?" he asked, looking panicked.

"Just trust me."

"Okay, then."

"One, two, _three!"_

Beast Boy swung Raven forwards and she spun in the air, landing a hard kick to the robot's head and knocking it off its shoulders. She landed in a crouch several feet away, one arm in the air to keep her balance.

The robot's body spun wildly, knocking Starfire off of where she was balanced on the City Hall ledge. She plummeted towards the ground, but Robin flew in to catch her.

"Well isn't this a chance," he said cheekily, and she smiled at him.

Raven watched as a brown hawk flew above the beheaded robot, changing into an elephant and crushing the poor minion. Cyborg returned to his human form a few moments later, crossing his arms triumphantly.

"Nice one, Cy!" Beast Boy cheered, landing next to Raven.

Cyborg smiled. "Learned from the best."

Robin floated to the ground, Starfire still in his arms. "Come on Titans. It's not over yet."

The five heroes raced into the City Hall, Beast Boy using his powers to throw open the doors. They paused in the marble-covered lobby, glancing around at all the possible rooms.

"Now what?" Raven asked.

"Star, I think I have Mod's DNA on file," Cyborg said. "Or…I guess _you_ do. Remember how to-"

"Operate the tracking systems?" Starfire questioned, flipping open her arm console. "Of course, Friend Cyborg."

The larger Titan looked like a proud older brother as Starfire fiddled with her scanners, gaining a lock on Mod's location. "He is this way," she said, pointing to the right.

The team followed his trace, navigating through a heavy throng of high school students. Raven could only assume they were here for a field trip, but she had to say it was poor timing for one. The Titans eventually came to a locked hearing room door. Robin took careful aim and fired his eyebolts at the lock, burning right through the metal. Raven kicked open the remnants of the door and they entered the large hearing room, gazing around cautiously.

"There!" Robin said, pointing to the mayor's turned back.

Raven walked up behind the mayor, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Sir, are you alri-ah!" she cried as the mayor socked her in the face. She fell backwards. Her eyes widened in disbelief until she realized he was hypnotized.

All of their heads snapped up as they heard cocky laughter. Mod appeared a few moments later behind the hearing room's large desk, swinging his cane menacingly.

"This town's got a new mayor, my duckies," he taunted. "I'll give you three guesses as to whom it could be!" He smacked his cane on his desk as if it were a gavel, and all of the hearing room entrances opened. The City Hall staff as well as several police officers and even a few of the high school students from earlier stumbled into the room. Their eyes swirled from their trances. "Sick 'em my pets!"

"Titans, spread out and subdue, but don't injure them," Robin called, flying above them.

Easier said then done.

Raven flipped out of the way and retrieved her grappling hook, using her moves to secure a student and a female official to one of the hearing room pillars. She noticed with alarm that the room was filling up fast with more and more of Mod's zombies. She needed to divert some of them to a different location, or her and her friends would be overwhelmed.

Before she could create a distraction, however, she watched in disbelief and pride as Beast Boy did the unthinkable.

" _Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"_ he yelled, using his powers to snatch Mad Mod's cane out of the villain's clutches.

"Oi!" Mod snapped. "Give that back."

"How do I work this thing?" Beast Boy asked himself, scratching his head. Shrugging, he did the only thing that seemed logical, and pressed the button on the cane.

What happened next was a blessing and a curse.

Raven felt her body convulse, and a moment later, she began to levitate. She glanced around quickly, discovering her friends had returned to their normal states. Unfortunately, Mod's cane had fallen from Beast Boy's grip in the process, and was lost beneath a sea of zombified civilians. The changeling had to change into a hawk and fly above the mass to avoid be torn to pieces.

"There are too many!" Starfire cried, holding onto Robin and Cyborg's arms.

"Not for long," Raven said, her eyes glowing white with power. She used her force fields to start herding some of the townspeople out of one of the entrances and into the stone hallway. At least this way her friends wouldn't be trapped.

Unfortunately for her though, this led to another problem. The hallway she was in had a marble railing to her left. On the other side of that railing the space plummeted several feet down into the lobby below. Not only that, but many non-hypnotized students were pinned against the ledge as more and more zombies came their way.

Raven levitated above their bewitched grasps, narrowly avoiding capture. Her head jerked to the side as a student screamed, the zombies forcing her over the railing. Raven flew down and grasped the girl by the arms, levitating downwards so she landed safely on the lobby floor. Once she was out of harms way, the girl jerked back, and Raven's eyes widened.

It was Terra.

The blonde girl seemed equally as shocked, for she hadn't even pretended not to recognize the empath. Her mouth flopped open and her blue eyes went wide. She looked as if she had seen a ghost.

There were so many things Raven could have said to her; so many things she _wanted_ to say to her. But her friends needed her more.

Raven turned away from Terra without a second glance, and flew up to help the other students. She dove in front of them, putting up a force field. The zombified civilians pounded over and over on her dome. There were so many of them; Raven wasn't sure how much more she could take.

Then abruptly, they fell back, shaking their heads. Raven let down her barrier carefully, still unsure if the civilians had returned to normal. One glance at their confused expressions, though, and she realized one of her teammates must have finally located Mod's cane.

Sure enough, her friends came through the doorway; Starfire happily twirling Mod's cane, while Cyborg held a struggling Mod.

"Curse you rotten brats! I ought to teach you a lesson I ought to-" as the British villain continued to prattle on and on, Beast Boy pulled out a piece of office supply tape and slapped it over Mod's mouth.

"That's better," the changeling said smugly.

Robin leaned over to get a good look at Mod. "I would take you straight to jail, but I think you should return something very important to the Chief of Police first."

Mod's shoulder's slumped in defeat.

~0~0~0~

After Chief Anderson's youth was restored and Mad Mod was back in prison, the Titans finally returned home. They all collapsed onto the sofa, thoroughly exhausted.

"I owe you an apology BB," Cyborg said, wiping sweat off his human brow. "Changing into animals is _tough_."

"Well Rae-Rae's powers are no walk in the park either," Beast Boy said, eyeing his girlfriend with appreciation.

"While I admit being Robin has been fun in the past, it's certainly challenging to have to rely on only your mind and body," Raven said, glancing at her leader. "I never gave you enough credit."

Robin smiled at her, slinging an arm around Starfire. "No worries, Raven. I never appreciated how challenging yet cool it was to fly and shoot starbolts," he mentioned, causing Starfire to blush. "Thanks for helping me out, Star."

"I welcome you. I also found it extraordinary to learn so much about machinery from Cyborg!"

"Anytime, lil' lady."

"Well," Beast Boy said, stretching his arms, "now that we're done kissing each other's butts, I'm thinking it's time for a movie night!" He bounded up and raced out of the room, only to return a moment later with a DVD. "Wicked Scary 8, anyone?"

Everyone groaned.

As Beast Boy plopped in the movie and sat next the Raven, the empath thought back to earlier in the day when she had seen Terra. She wondered if it was something worth mentioning to Beast Boy.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _Will they talk about Terra? Wait and see! The past couple of chapters have been pretty action based ones. The next one has some action, but involves much more BB/Rae than the last few chapters have had. Also, the location might peek some of your interests. Until next time!_


	19. Poison

**Author's Note:** _I've decided to deviate from the show style a little bit with a new location and character. I think it will be worth it._

~0~0~0~

Raven's thoughts concerning Terra still ran through her mind, even as she helped Cyborg pack his things into the T-Car a week later. She shook her head to clear it, focusing instead on levitating the suitcases into the trunk. Beast Boy carried a couple more bags in his gorilla form before switching back to normal. Robin watched the whole process with a worried frown on his face.

Raven shared a little bit of Robin's anxiety. Cyborg was leaving for a week to work with the Justice League. This was the first time he had actually left the Titans for a mission that didn't involve them. She was happy for his progress as a hero, but her stomach turned at the thought of seeing her friend less and less.

He was taking Sarah with him to the base, of course, since it gave her a great opportunity to learn more about advanced technology and robotics. She had started college in the fall, and what better internship could she have than at the Justice League? The blonde was currently engaged in a deep conversation with Starfire about aerodynamics and physics.

"We'll miss you Cy," Beast Boy said, after he shut the trunk. "You totally gotta get me Superman's autograph!"

"Will do, little man," Cyborg said, ruffling the boy's hair affectionately.

Starfire flew over to him and threw her arms around his shoulders, tears pricking her eyes. "You shall be missed Cyborg!" She drew back from her friend, turning to crush Sarah in a hug. "And you as well, Friend Sarah."

"Is it just me or do your hugs keep getting tighter?" Sarah wheezed, chuckling a little.

Raven walked up to Cyborg to say her goodbyes. "We'll try to manage around here," she said, smiling wryly.

Cyborg drew her in for a hug, and then released her. "I'm sure you'll be fine. Besides, it's not like you'll be hanging around here much anyway." He cringed suddenly as Robin gave him a warning look. Raven glanced between the two boys wondering what they could possibly be talking about.

She didn't get a chance to inquire right away, for Robin strode in front of her, taking Cyborg's hand and shaking it. "Things will be different without you, Cy," he said, and Raven thought she could detect a trace of sadness in his voice.

Cyborg's gaze softened. "I'll be back before you know it. Promise."

Robin nodded stiffly and then stepped back. Cyborg waved a final goodbye to his friends, and then he and Sarah got into the T-Car and drove off. As soon as the Tower's tunnel entrance shut behind the vehicle, Raven faced Robin, her hands on her hips.

"What?" Robin asked innocently.

"Don't 'what' me. Care to tell us what Cyborg was talking about?" she questioned, not amused.

Robin sighed, scratching his head. He glanced from her to Beast Boy, to Starfire, who were also regarding him in bemusement. "Don't get too excited," he began, sending a well-timed stern glance in the changeling's direction, "but we won't be at the Tower this week either."

"What?" Beast Boy asked the same time Starfire inquired, "Where will we go?"

"This conference at the Hall of Justice, everyone in the League will be there," he explained. "Essentially, I've been tasked to watch over Gotham while-"

"Batman is gonna be at the Hall of Justice!" Beast Boy interrupted. "No fair! Wait hold the phone…did you say _Gotham?_ "

Robin exhaled through his nostrils, a little irritated for being cut off. "He specifically asked for _me_ to come, but I told him I wasn't going to go and leave you guys in the dark." He glanced over at Starfire, a shy smile on his face.

Raven stared at her leader in bewilderment. Last year even, he wouldn't have given a second thought to leaving them behind, but he had actually convinced _Batman_ to let them join him. Robin really had come a long way.

"Anyways, we're leaving in a few hours, so we should start packing," he continued.

Starfire cocked her head to the side. "Who shall watch the city while we are gone?"

"I called Argent, Hotspot, and Pantha yesterday. They should be here later tonight after we've left."

"I can't believe we're going to Gotham!" Beast Boy shouted, clutching Raven by the forearms and forcing her to jump up and down with him. Out of the corner of her eye, Raven caught Robin pinching the bridge of his noise, as if he were already regretting his decision.

"Yes well, let's be ready to leave in a couple hours, Titans," he ordered before leaving the room with an excited Starfire flying right behind him.

Raven met her friends in the ops room a while later, stumbling upon a mild argument between Beast Boy, Robin and Starfire of all people.

"I can most certainly be the bad if I wanted to be," Starfire was trying to convince them to no avail.

Beast Boy shook his head. "Sorry Star, you're just too sweet and kind. No one would believe you."

"Exactly, you're too innocent to ever be a villain," Robin added. "You should consider that a good thing."

"What if I needed to go under the cover?" she argued.

"Then we'd make sure you're the good guy!" Beast Boy replied, laughing.

Starfire pouted, but then a light bulb seemed to appear above her head. "I will do something evil. Observe!" She flew over to the fridge and retrieved a container of milk. "I will drink straight from the carton of milk!" she declared, deadly serious.

Raven and Robin looked at her with expressions indicating they weren't impressed, but Beast Boy appeared to be rather alarmed by her threat.

"Don't do it Star!" he cried.

His cries were wasted for after several attempts, Starfire returned the carton to the fridge. "I cannot do it," she said sadly. "It is _too_ evil."

"It's okay, Star. You gave it your best shot," Robin consoled her, patting her back.

"Not to break up this _captivating_ topic," Raven broke in dryly, "but can someone tell me how we're getting to Gotham?"

Robin glanced at her sheepishly. "I was hoping you could maybe…teleport us there? For old time's sake?"

Raven sighed. "You realize I'll be rendered useless until the next morning, correct?"

"I think we'll take our chances. We'll just be watching the Batcave mostly."

"Awwww, _what_?" Beast Boy complained. "We aren't gonna fight crime?"

Robin regarded him seriously. "Crime in Gotham is very different than crime in Jump. We should hope all we're doing is cave sitting."

Beast Boy didn't seem convinced, but he didn't argue further. Without another moment passing by, Raven muttered her mantra and engulfed her friends in her raven, carrying them across the country.

When they arrived at the Batcave, Beast Boy spent the better part of an hour running around and poking everything he could, to Robin's annoyance. Raven subdued the changeling after he almost scratched the Batmobile, thinking it was the least she could do for the Boy Wonder. She couldn't really blame Beast Boy for getting excited though; it was pretty cool to be there.

Raven drifted among the stalagmites, examining the intricacies of the cave. It was dark, it was shadowy, and it was quiet. Maybe she should move in here.

"Master Robin, Miss Starfire, how lovely to see you again."

Raven glanced down at the prim and proper elderly man that greeted them. She levitated to the floor, and she and Beast Boy stood awkwardly to the side as Robin and Starfire greeted this stranger.

"Good to see you again, Alfred," Robin said, shaking the man's hand.

"Yes you are looking in quite the good health!" Starfire beamed, giving the man a brief but tight hug. Raven recalled that Starfire had visited Gotham a couple of times with Robin in the past.

Alfred politely retracted himself from Starfire, smoothing out his suit. "And you are looking as radiant as ever Miss Starfire," he replied warmly.

Starfire giggled, her hand covering her mouth. Alfred peered beyond her and his eyes fell on the other two Titans. "I see we have some new visitors?"

"Oh, right. Alfred this is Raven and Beast Boy. They'll also be helping us monitor Gotham for the next couple of days," Robin explained.

Alfred cocked an eyebrow and murmured something to Robin that Raven didn't catch. Robin glanced at Starfire, seemingly a little uncomfortable, and then shook his head, answering Alfred's question.

The older man approached Raven, bending down to gently kiss her hand. "Miss Raven, it is an honor. Master Beast Boy is it? Also a pleasure," he said, shaking the changeling's hand.

It didn't escape Raven's attention that Beast Boy had puffed himself up a bit, as if that would make him look more sophisticated. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Alfred."

Alfred turned to address all of them. "Well I've already laid out bedding for all of you, but considering the circumstance, I will show you to our private sector of the cave where Master Batman usually entertains guests of the hero variety."

"Considering the circumstance?" Raven muttered. "What is he talking about?"

"I'll tell you later," Beast Boy murmured back, indicating he had picked up Alfred's question to Robin with his advanced hearing.

Alfred led the four Titans to a separate part of the cave that was blocked off from the main controls. They entered an area with two twin beds, and a modest space to lay their suitcases.

Robin turned to Raven and Beast Boy. "If you guys don't mind staying here for the time being, it would make things a lot easier."

"It's fine," Raven replied, although she was still thoroughly confused.

"Yeah, I mean we get to sleep in the Batcave! How cool is that?" Beast Boy said.

Robin nodded, a smile gracing his features. "Raven, make sure he doesn't touch anything. Star and I will meet you back here tomorrow morning and we can discuss a game plan."

Beast Boy looked a little insulted at having been treated like a child, but he didn't complain. Starfire gave both of them hugs goodnight, and Alfred also bid them ado before the three of them left the couple for the evening. As Raven settled into her bed for the night, she turned to face Beast Boy in his own bed.

"Care to explain what's going on?" she inquired.

Beast Boy shrugged. "From what I could hear, Alfred didn't know if we knew about Robin's identity or not. I guess since Star is the only one who knows, it's just easier if you and I stay in the Batcave."

"I see," Raven said, turning over onto her back. She stared up at the stone that made up the cave ceiling. "Do you think it's odd? That he hasn't told us yet?"

Beast Boy snorted. "Knowing Robin, I'm surprised he's told Star."

"That's different. She's his girlfriend."

"I still stand by it."

Raven frowned. "I don't want to push him on it. I mean out of everyone on the team I can understand about needing to keep a secret. Still it's strange, being so close with someone, yet not knowing who they really are."

"We kind of know what he looks like at least," Beast Boy reminded her.

It was true. At the end of Ding Dong Daddy's race, Robin had shown them what was inside the case they had been racing for the whole time. It had been a picture of him and what she assumed to have been his parents. He had looked about nine or ten in the photo, and all three of them were dressed in matching uniforms. They stood in front of a massive colorful tent.

He hadn't said anything regarding the photo, but he had allowed them to look. He didn't even have to say anything for Raven to know the little boy in the photo was him. What struck her the most was how vibrant his blue eyes were.

It was true she had been in her leader's mind, but she was only able to see quick flashes of visuals she didn't understand. The picture of him with his parents was just another piece to the puzzle.

"Yeah…" she commented, still lost in her thoughts. They lapsed into silence, and Raven figured now was as good a time as any to bring up Terra. She cleared her throat nervously. "Gar…there's something I have to tell you," she said, still staring at the cave ceiling.

"What's up?"

"It's about that day we destroyed Terra's cave."

A brief silence followed her statement. Finally he responded with "What about it?"

Raven's fingers subconsciously grabbed the quilt covering her. "I went to see her. At her school, I mean. I just…had to know."

"Did you…?"

Raven finally turned to look at him. "I found her, but I didn't say anything."

Beast Boy nodded to himself, still trying to process that Raven had deliberately sought her out.

"That's not all," Raven continued. "Last week when we were fighting Mad Mod, I saved her. It was by accident, really, but she saw me."

Beast Boy's eyes widened. "And she recognized you?"

Raven nodded. "We didn't say anything. I had to help the others but…there's so much I wanted to say to her. Both times. I just…"

"Couldn't?" he guessed.

Raven sighed. "More like wouldn't."

Beast Boy smiled sadly. "I kinda know what you mean. It's like, after a while, after you've tried so hard…you just gotta know when to let it go."

Raven turned over on her back again, shutting her eyes. She still got a bad taste in her mouth when she thought about Terra, and she hated herself for it. She wasn't sure if it was still mere jealousy of how easily she got along with everyone else, or if it still had to do with her betrayal. Either way it was in the past, but that didn't mean it completely stopped hurting.

Raven felt a body slide in next to her, and she moved over to give him room. It was cramped with two people in a twin bed, but she found she didn't mind the close proximity. His lips brushed against her cheek, and she turned her head to meet his mouth. Her tongue moved against his slowly, her body shivering as his hand held her waist.

Layer by layer they began to shed their clothing. At one point Raven felt him lie his naked chest on hers as he reached over to grab his bag, searching for a condom. He placed the packet beside them on the bed, hovering over her again. They were mostly silent except for the occasional soft moan or light kiss. Raven traced her hands down his back, feeling the muscles ripple beneath her touch as he moved. She marveled at how gentle he was being, as if even the slightest wrong move could break her. When they were finished, he lay his damp forehead under her chin, his face turned into her neck.

"You're so amazing Rae."

She felt her cheeks flush, his compliments never failing to make her stomach flip. "Thanks. You're not so bad yourself."

Beast Boy chuckled, giving her jaw one more kiss. "Thanks." He shifted, settling himself in for the night. "See you in the morning," he murmured tiredly.

"Good night."

It was silent for only a moment.

"Raven?"

"Yes?"

"I bet you'd look great in a Batgirl costume."

" _Good night_ , Gar."

~0~0~0~

The next three days dragged by painfully slowly. It turned out that cave sitting wasn't the most exciting thing in the world after all. Mostly the Titans kept the space clean, and monitored crime scanners. There were several robberies Raven was sure they could have assisted in stopping, but Robin insisted they would only be called out if one of Gotham's high profile criminals made an appearance. None had shown up so far, so this left the heroes with little to do. Even Beast Boy had grown tired of being cooped up in the Batcave.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," he told her, "but I would totally be okay with never having to look at the Batmobile ever again after this."

"Truly shocking," Raven responded wryly, cracking open an eye. She was meditating for the third time today, considering she didn't have anything else on her itinerary.

"I do wish we could go outside for just the little while," Starfire said glumly. "I have not felt the sun's rays in several days, and my powers are beginning to weaken."

Robin yawned as he lazily watched the scanners. "Knowing Gotham Star, you won't find much sunlight anywhere."

Starfire sighed, floating to the ground. "There must be something that will entertain our craniums."

As if she had said the magic words, the Batcave's crime monitor starting beeping. All four Titans perked up at once, feeling a mixture of anxiousness but also relief at finally having something to do.

"Who is it?" Beast Boy questioned rushing over to the giant screen, Raven and Starfire not far behind.

Robin's eyes scanned the screen for a few moments, his fingers flying expertly over the control panel. A few moments later a woman who appeared to be metahuman flashed onto the screen.

"Is that-" Beast Boy started to ask.

"Poison Ivy," Robin affirmed, and Raven felt her blood run cold.

~0~0~0~

"Please, explain to me more about this Poison Ivy," Starfire said, as she carried Robin through the city. Raven also had her hands looped under Beast Boy's arms. It was the most efficient way for the four of them to travel and also communicate at the same time.

Robin opened his mouth to speak, but Beast Boy interrupted him. "She's this badass plant lady with all these poisons and killer plants and stuff," he explained eagerly. "She's also not too bad on the eyes either."

"You seem more like a fan than a foe," Raven observed blandly.

"How can I _not_ be a fan? She loves green!"

"You mentioned a love for plant life?" Starfire asked, her hair rustling in the wind.

This time it was Robin who cut in. "More like obsessed with it. I was warned before we all came here that she might try to stir up some trouble. It looks like she's captured the senior advisor of Palm Oil Industries."

"What would she want with him?" Raven questioned.

"Palm Oil is known for torching rainforests."

"Ah."

"You gotta admit even though she's a psycho, it's kinda cool that she cares about the environment," Beast Boy chimed in, earning bland looks from both Robin and Raven.

"The toxins she uses," Starfire continued, "they are deadly to humans?"

"Some of them," Robin answered. "Others are pheromones which put humans under her control." He shuddered. "I've been under their effect once myself. Almost killed me too. Whatever happens, you can't let her too close."

"Bummer," Beast Boy said half seriously. That earned him a kick in the back of the knee.

The four Titans arrived at a greenhouse practically hidden by a barrier of trees. They snuck up to the entrance, the others waiting for Robin's signal. After a pause he motioned to Starfire, and the girl blasted the door sending glass flying in every which way. The Titans rushed in, nearly tripping over the thick vines covering the floor. Now that she was inside, Raven realized the glass walls were almost completely obscured by plants.

But where was Ivy?

"Help," wheezed a voice across the room.

Four heads snapped in the direction of the cry, and Raven knew it must have been the senior advisor. He was a homely, older man, fairly overweight and almost entirely bald. He lay weakly on a bed of plants, not even having the strength to lift his arm.

Robin rushed over to the man, checking him over. He turned to his friends. "She's pumped him with one of her toxins. We need to find an antidote, or he won't live for much longer."

"What's this? My little bird has returned to the big city?" a low voice cooed from among the plants. Raven watched in a mixture of wonder and apprehension as a scarlet haired woman descended from the greenhouse ceiling, her body twisting gracefully as she maneuvered the vines around her. Poison Ivy landed on the floor lightly, jutting her hip out to the side suggestively. "And you've brought friends. I suppose Batman's out of town after all." she observed.

The Titans took battle stances around her. Robin's eyes narrowed beneath his mask. "Give us the antidote Ivy," Robin ordered, gesturing to the dying man behind them.

Poison Ivy pursed her lips disapprovingly. "Now what kind of message would that send? That we should just let depraved Earth wreckers roam free? And here I thought you stood for justice." Her eyes darted to the side, scanning over Beast Boy. "Now _there's_ a man who knows how to go green."

Beast Boy let out a squeak of surprise and colored. Raven rolled her eyes, not sure how much more of this vixen she could take. Her eyes scanned over the villainess, noting a small band of different vials around her waist.

"If you aren't going to give us the antidote then we're going to have to take it from you by any means necessary," Robin warned.

Poison Ivy's face rippled into a malicious smile. "Now you're talking." With a wave of her arms the vines covering the floors leapt the life, tangling around Raven's legs and hoisting her upwards in one quick motion. She looked around wildly, noting the others were in similar situation. As the vines wrapped around her body Raven knew she had to act fast or else be crushed to death.

 _"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!_ " she cried, an orb of dark magic breaking through the green tentacles. She glanced to her right, discovering Starfire had also escaped and was currently trying to free Beast Boy. Robin had one arm free and was hacking the vines with a bird-a-rang. Raven flew to his aid, manipulating her powers to pry the vines free. She had to give it to Ivy, whatever she had used on these things had made them formidable.

Poison Ivy let out a cry of anguish as some of the vines Raven had blasted away fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. "My beautiful plants! Look what you've done to them!" she cried, her face twisting in anger. "I'll show you!" She raised another hand and dozens of vines lashed out from every direction, tangling Starfire and Raven once more.

"I can't believe I'm losing to a plant," Raven muttered angrily, struggling against the vines once more. She let out a grunt as her back slammed into Robin's the vines twirling around them again and again until they were hoisted to the ceiling. Raven glanced up, her head jerking back as she realized how close Ivy was.

"Believe it, Sweetheart," the woman taunted, and then redirected her attention to Starfire and Beast Boy. She used her plants to walk over to them, seeing as they were all suspended several feet in the air.

She cocked her head to the side as she observed them struggle. Starfire's glossy red hair whipped around wildly as she tried to escape the vines. Her eyes glowed dangerously, but a thick vine locked around her forehead, preventing her from using her eyebeams. Beast Boy attempted to change into a variety of animals to escape, but to no avail. Ivy watched both of them greedily, before apparently making up her mind.

"You'll do nicely," she told Beast Boy, as he transformed back into a human. Then before anyone knew what was happening, Ivy reached out and grabbed Beast Boy's jaw, fastening her lips to his. Raven's eyes glowed red as she watched her boyfriend's eyes go wide, and then drift shut.

"Raven, no!" Robin shouted. "It's not him, it's the toxins!"

Poison Ivy released his lips after a moment, turning to Starfire who was still struggling relentlessly. "And you," the villainess said, her lips quirking upwards, "you're cute, but far too destructive. I'll leave you to finish them." She jerked her head over to Robin and Raven.

"I will not!" Starfire cried, but Ivy held her jaw in place, connecting her mouth to the alien's. Just like Beast Boy, Starfire's struggling ceased after a few moments, and Ivy drew back, smiling triumphantly. She drifted to the floor once more, commanding her vines to also release Starfire and Beast Boy.

The villainess glanced up at Robin and Raven, pretending to shield her eyes. "It's been nice seeing you again, Bird Brat, but I think I'll let your friend say my goodbyes for me," she said, running a hand up Starfire's arm. The girl didn't react except to shift towards the Eco terrorist. "Besides," Ivy continued leaning against Beast Boy, "The Palm Oil Industries' senior advisor has a protégé son, and well, we can't leave him out of the fun."

The senior advisor groaned weakly behind her, his skin deathly pale. Poison Ivy ignored him, choosing instead to bend down so her head rested on Beast Boy's shoulder. "I think I'll keep this one," she added.

Raven shouted, using her powers to break the bonds that held her and Robin in place. As soon as they landed on the ground, however, Starfire blasted them both backwards, so they fell in a crumpled heap.

"Feed them to my Venus fly trap, will you?" she asked Starfire, and then grabbed Beast Boy by the arm, leading him out through the greenhouse entrance.

Raven and Robin moaned as they struggled to sit up. Starfire approached them, her eyes blazing dangerously.

"Please Star," Robin begged as she lifted a starbolt in her hand, "don't do this."

Starfire paused, and then her eyes faded. She let her starbolts fade and she gave Robin a tiny smile. "If you say so, Boyfriend Robin."

Raven regarded her in shock, and Robin seemed to feel the exact same way. "How…but the toxins-" Raven started.

"Poison Ivy's toxins affect humans, yes?" she responded, looking a bit proud of herself. "This means I am unaffected." She bent over to help her friends off the ground.

Robin rubbed his shoulder. "Wow, Star. I guess we were wrong. You can play a convincing villain when you want to."

Starfire smiled. "Please forgive me for injuring you, Friends. I needed to convince Poison Ivy that I was indeed on her side so I could retrieve this." She held out a small vial that Raven had seen around the woman's waist. Starfire must have nabbed it when the villainess was close to her.

Raven regarded her friend, impressed by the girl's tact. A very quiet moan came from the senior advisor, and the three Titans rushed to the man's side. Starfire held his wrinkled face while she carefully drained half the vial's contents into the man's mouth. She paused, turning to look at Robin. "Should I not save some for Beast Boy?"

Robin shook his head. "Different kind of toxin. We'll have to get the antidote for her mind control serum when we find her."

"Very well," Starfire answered, pouring the rest of the liquid into the man's mouth. He sputtered for a few moments before sitting upright, clutching his head.

"Easy," Raven said, healing the senior advisor's minor injuries.

"My son," the man gasped.

"We're going to look for him right now," Robin said sternly. "Do you think you'll be okay on your own?"

The man hesitated then nodded, eyeing the greenhouse warily. "Just get me out of this jungle nightmare."

Once the Titans had helped the man a fair distance away from the greenhouse, Raven gazed at Robin and Starfire. "We need to go after her. Beast Boy could be in trouble," she said urgently, her tone a mixture of worry and anger.

Starfire and Robin looked at her in understanding. "But where could they be?" Starfire asked.

Robin bent down to the ground, picking up a green feather. His eyes met the horizon, his detective skills kicking into gear. "I think I have an idea."

~0~0~0~

Breaking into Palm Oil Industries in downtown Gotham was the easy part; the hard part was trying to navigate the interior of the building. Most of the hallways were blocked with vines and monstrous plants. The Titans had to pause several times just to keep the civilians who worked there from being eaten alive.

"Raven, can you try sensing Beast Boy?" Robin called, her vision of him obscured by a massive trunk.

Raven reached out with her powers, trying to find Beast Boy. After a few moments she detected a muddled mind, and knew it must be Gar under Ivy's control.

"I think I found him," she yelled back, using her powers to slice a carnivorous plant in two.

"You and Star go after him. I'm going to get these people to safety."

"Eeek!" Stafire cried, as she rapidly shot vines that were headed for her and a group of tangled civilians. "I am afraid I am indisposed at the moment."

"It's okay, I can handle that tart myself," Raven said, her lip curling slightly. She made brief eye contact with Robin over a thick green vine that separated the hallway.

"Be careful Raven," he warned.

She nodded, knowing if she were to succeed, she would have to be.

Raven levitated down the winding hallways, following the trace that the battle of wills inside Beast Boy's mind had left. Using her powers, she levitated a metal door off its hinges, flying inside. She landed on the ground of what appeared to be a large machine room….or _was_ a large machine room anyway. None of the mechanisms were working, their gears too clogged with vines and various plant life.

Raven's feet made soft echoes with every step. She glanced from side to side, searching for any flickers of movement. She heard the tell tale sign of a vine tentacle behind her, and she turned around sharply. She caught the smug look on Ivy's face before the vine knocked her backwards. Raven fell roughly on the ground, springing up immediately and attempting to levitate towards the villain. Four vines sprung up on all her sides, however, grasping onto her wrists and ankles. She tried pulling forwards, but the vines went taught, effectively holding her as if she were chained. A fifth vine slithered up her shoulder and folded over her mouth, muffling her shouts of frustration.

Ivy walked in front of Raven slowly, making sure to keep just out of her reach. Raven's eyes slid to Beast Boy, who stood off to the side. His foot was placed casually over the back of a young man, who Raven could only assume was the senior advisor's son. The man lay unmoving.

"Don't think I haven't figure out your tricks, Witch," Ivy said, reaching out to tap the vine covering Raven's mouth. "I should have just finished you off myself. Oh well, no matter." She turned back around, surveying her work of the machine room. Beast Boy left the dying man on the floor, coming to stand by the villainess' side. The redhead let out a content sigh. "I don't know about you, but I really like what I've done with the place, don't you?" Ivy smirked, walking behind Beast Boy. She leant over him, so her hand traced down his chest. Her lips came to rest at his neck. "And I couldn't have done it without you, my little sprout."

Raven jerked her head up so her mouth was momentarily free. "Don't touch him," she snarled, before the treacherous plant captured her lips once more.

Poison Ivy merely cocked an eyebrow, resting her chin on the changeling's shoulder in amusement. "I'm sorry," she said mockingly, "I didn't realize I had stolen him from you." Her eyes lit up with an idea. "Say, wouldn't it be fun if _he_ were the one to destroy you? It seems fitting. His powers fuel the ecosystem; yours destroy."

Raven's eyes glowed red, but she was powerless without her mantra. She screamed in fury against her gag.

"Go on," Ivy said encouragingly, giving Beast Boy a little shove forwards. The changeling morphed into a tiger, stalking Raven and preparing to pounce.

Raven searched Beast Boy's eyes, trying to will him to regain his senses. The tiger let out a growl and charged Raven, freezing at the last moment and shuddering.

"Kill her already!" Ivy cursed, flexing her fingers. "Or do I have to kill both of you?" Vines hovered over them threateningly.

Raven watched in a mixture of fear and wonder while Beast Boy changed his form. He switched back to human, gripping his head, and then turned into a gorilla, a leopard, a bear, and finally the Beast. Almost as soon as he had made the final transformation, his struggling stopped and he blinked at Raven.

She blinked back at him, shocked, and then the realization began to sink in. Ivy's serums may have affected the human mind, and although Beast Boy was metahuman, when he turned into the Beast, his mind became entirely primal. In this form, his instinct was to protect Raven. He would never hurt her while he was like this.

Poison Ivy didn't realize this, however, so when the Beast turned around and charged _her_ , she grew panicked. "What-" she started, but was knocked violently off her feet. A large angry scratch blossomed on her right left arm, and she clutched it, hissing. "But...my serums! You insolent traitor!"

Vines launched themselves at the Beast, but he was quicker. He slashed at them, reducing the plants to mere shreds. A moment later, Robin and Starfire burst through the entrance way, Robin aiming a well timed bird-a-rang at the vines holding Raven, releasing her almost instantly. At the same time, Starfire blasted Ivy in the stomach, singeing the band of her antidotes and sending them flying from her waist. Raven used her powers to levitate the bottles into her arms. Robin used his grappling hook to tie Poison Ivy up nice and tight, so she had no chance of escaping.

"How _dare_ you!" Ivy cried, outraged. "You're letting the _real_ criminals escape! You, you brats!"

Raven paid her no mind as she located the vials needed to return Beast Boy, and the advisor's son to normal. In a matter of moments, it was like they had never even been affected at all.

As Robin and Starfire lugged Poison Ivy to the curb so the authorities could deal with her, Beast Boy glanced nervously at Raven, a sheepish look on his face. "I guess I took it a little too far with the fanboy stuff, huh?" he said, half joking about the whole Ivy situation.

Raven grabbed the front of his uniform and pulled his lips to hers before he could say something else foolish.

~0~0~0~

A few days later when everyone had arrived back at the Tower, the team crowded together in ops to exchange stories. Beast Boy regaled Cyborg with what little he could remember about facing Ivy, while the cybernetic Titan explained his own mission with the League. Cyborg had acted as a hacker where he had helped infiltrate LexCorp information to put a stop to another one of Lex Luthor's schemes before it had even really begun. Although most of his work was done at the Hall of Justice, he helped the League on a couple of smaller missions in the field as well. That being said, it was impressive in itself that Cyborg was capable enough to best Luthor of all people.

"I'm supposed to hear back from the League in a week or two to see if they might need me again," Cyborg told his friends proudly.

"That is glorious news!"

"Sweet, Cy!"

"That's very impressive."

"We're happy for you, Cyborg," Robin said, placing a hand on the half-robot's shoulder. Cyborg returned Robin's smile.

After Cyborg had caught up with the rest of the team, Robin got up from the ops couch to stand in front of them all, his back to the Tower's windows. He cleared his throat.

"Over the past couple of days, I've given something a lot of thought," he began, staring at each of them individually. "You've all saved my life on multiple occasions, but the fact is, most of you don't even really know whose life you've been saving." Robin glanced at Starfire lovingly. "Starfire has known for a while now, but I think it's time the rest of you knew who I really was too."

Raven stared at Robin in shock. _Could he really mean…?_ She cast a quick side glance to Beast Boy and Cyborg and observed that they were just as surprised as her. Starfire watched him, pride and affection making her face glow.

Robin's lips quirked up in a smile, and without further ado, he removed his mask.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _I kept my promise and told you the name "Dick Grayson" wouldn't be in this story, however the end of the chapter implies that he told them everything, including his real name. I think if the show ever did reveal Robin's identity, they wouldn't have show us his eyes and we wouldn't have heard his name, although it is quite obvious it is Dick. Nonetheless, they would have kept it "a mystery" for the viewers._

 _Also, I stole that milk carton line straight from a clip I saw of Teen Titans Go! I couldn't help it; it was pretty funny. On another note, there has been much speculation over Ivy's sexual orientation among fans, but on her Wiki page it does say that she is bisexual, and that this is cannon, so that's what I decided to write her as._

 _Final two chapters coming up soon; it will be a two-parter. Two great and familiar villains coming up, I know you won't be disappointed._


	20. Titans Forever pt 1

When the Titans were called into a meeting in ops, Raven was surprised to see it was Cyborg who had called them, rather than Robin. She exchanged a curious glance with Beast Boy whose hair was still standing on end from their interrupted make out session. He probably had no idea how cute he looked right now.

That being said, it was hard to distract herself from the strangeness of the situation. Even Robin appeared to have been blindsided by this impromptu meeting.

"Hey y'all, I just wanted to say my piece real quick, and then I'll answer all your questions," Cyborg told them, swallowing heavily.

"Is everything alright, Cy?" Robin asked.

 _Leave it to Robin to be so anxious he can't even listen._

"Yeah, yeah!" Cyborg said, scratching the back of his head. "I, um, have some exciting news, actually." He cleared his throat. "I'm going to ask Sarah to marry me."

There was a brief pause in the room, and then everyone exploded.

"Cy! That's so sweet!"

"Oh wonderful news! Your union will be most enjoyable to attend!"

"Congratz, Cyborg. I knew you'd find a nice girl."

"We're happy for you," Raven added, a larger than usual smile on her face.

Cyborg chuckled, giving each of them a hug. "I'm real excited to ask. Probably won't be for a little while, but I'm already looking at rings."

"Ooo! If you need assistance, Raven and I would be most delighted to accompany you!" Starfire offered.

Cyborg glanced at Raven, grinning knowingly at the empath. "I'll keep that in mind." He cleared his throat again. "That's not all, actually." The rest of the Titans glanced at him curiously, before returning to their seats on the sofa. "The Justice League offered me a position," he said finally, watching as their faces froze, "and I accepted it."

An uncomfortable silence followed. Raven felt nauseous. Starfire's eyes filled with tears. Beast Boy's jaw hung open. Robin was the first to gather himself. "When do you leave?"

Cyborg looked off to the side. "Six months. I've already talked to Sarah about it. We're looking for a place on the East coast."

Robin cleared his throat several times. "Well," he started, swallowing, "well," he repeated, still not able to gather his thoughts.

"Congratulations Cyborg," Raven finally said on behalf of the team, since no one else seemed like they could muster it.

Cyborg gave her a weak smile. "Thanks, Rae." He turned to address the rest of the team. "I know this…changes things, but I think if we talk over the specifics…it won't be as bad as we think," he finished lamely.

"Yeah, Dude," Beast Boy said, his voice thick. "But we still won't see you anymore."

Cyborg regarded his best friend uncomfortably, but didn't respond. Robin chose this moment to get up and exit ops. Starfire rose from the couch, tossing Cyborg an apologetic look before flying after Robin. The cybernetic Titan sighed and headed in the direction of the kitchen. He glanced over at Beast Boy.

"BB come here and help me grill up some tofu burgers will you?" he asked, in an effort to lighten the mood.

Beast Boy smiled a little and went over to the kitchen. Raven could tell the changeling was still deeply troubled by Cyborg's decision, but he wanted to support his friend the best he could. She, on the other hand, felt like she needed to meditate in order to sift through all these feelings.

When she exited ops, she walked down the hallway, pausing by Robin's room when she heard muffled voices. Against her better judgment, she lingered by the door, curious to find out of Starfire and Robin were as rattled as she was.

"…can't leave without you, Star. Especially not after this," Robin said.

Raven could make out the sounds of Starfire's voice, thick with tears. "You must Robin. Please do not let me be the reason for staying. I do not wish for you to resent me."

"Star I would never do that."

"Even so, you must follow the path that is right for _you._ Have you not been waiting for the opportunity to make the switch? Perhaps this is that chance."

"I promised Beast Boy…"

"And you would not be breaking that promise. You may make the transformation together, but it is up to you to decide where you belong."

"I belong with you," he said, but Raven could tell his resolve was weakening.

"If you mean that, then there is truly nothing to debate, yes?" she replied, knowingly. "Yet your mind is at war."

"Star-"

"My wish for you is to do the thinking it over," she said, sniffing. "You and I are above lying to one another, Robin. It is time you figure out what it is you truly want."

Raven could hear her voice coming closer, and the empath realized the alien was about to exit the room. Suddenly feeling ashamed for her actions, Raven phased through a nearby wall into her bedroom. She sat on her bed, burying her face in her hands. This whole situation was a nightmare. She felt sick to her stomach.

Deciding the best thing for her was meditation; Raven crossed her legs on her bed and transported her mind to a different realm. After about an hour, she almost forgot what she was upset about. That is, until a knock on her door sounding, sending her crashing back into her cruel reality.

When she opened the door, Beast Boy stared back at her. She wordlessly stepped aside, allowing him entrance into her dark room. He looked around unsurely, as if he had never been invited in before. He turned to her, clearing his throat, undoubtedly preparing to talk to her about Cyborg's announcement.

Raven discovered in that moment that she couldn't bear to discuss the inevitable, so she grabbed his face, sealing his lips in a passionate kiss. Anything to avoid talking about the future.

Beast Boy seemed to have the same thought process, for he responded immediately. He tilted her head up, cupping her cheeks with both of his hands. Raven pressed her body to his, holding onto his hips tightly. They fell messily onto her bed, never once breaking the connection of their lips. They became a desperate tangle of limbs and skin, of murmured nothings and promises that neither were sure the future would keep for them.

Later, when night had settled in the Tower, they lay facing each other. The thin, satin cover of Raven's sheet offered them the only protection from the cool air in her room. Beast Boy reached out his right arm so his thumb could brush her bare shoulder.

"The tofu burgers were great, thanks for asking," he said softly, his mouth curving up in a gentle smile.

The right corner of her mouth quirked upwards. "I'm glad." She studied his face as he watched the flush in her cheeks start to fade. "I overheard Robin and Starfire speaking," she admitted finally.

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow. "About…?"

"Robin making the change…and potentially leaving."

Beast Boy closed his eyes. "Yeah well, we guessed that like decades ago so…"

She could tell he was deflecting. "Did you mean what you said before? About wanting to stay for a few more years?"

He opened his eyes, the startling green reappearing once more. "Yeah. I can't see myself anywhere else. This is my home."

"But the Doom Patrol-"

"I can't go back. I mean I'm sure I could if I wanted to but…I can't."

Raven nodded, understanding to some degree what he was trying to tell her. "Will I have to start calling you Changeling soon?"

Beast Boy grinned. "Maybe. It might take a while for you to get the hang of yelling at me with a new name."

"I think I'll manage."

Beast Boy laughed, his thumb tracing down her arm. He must have noticed the joking nature had left her eyes, for he inquired, "What's wrong?"

Raven swallowed. "When we saw our future…or what it could be like, it made me realize all over again how lucky I am to have made such good friends."

"We'll all still be friends, even if Cy does leave."

"I know, but I can't help but think back to that version I saw of myself, trapped in my own mind. Isolated. As if I had never had any friends at all. It terrifies me."

Beast Boy frowned. "That won't happen Rae. I promise."

Her eyes became wet. "How do you know?" she whispered.

"Because as long as I'm still kicking, you're never going to need a reason to stay locked in your room." He pressed his lips to hers, hard, as if sealing his word. A stubborn tear edged out the corner of her eye, but his thumb pressed into it, absorbing the droplet before it even had a chance.

The atmosphere in the Tower over the next couple of days was a little tense. Raven observed how everyone attempted to make conversation, crack jokes, and suggest activities they could do. All of it was a little too happy, a little too forced. It took Raven a while to realize this was exactly the kind of behavior she would exhibit when she didn't want others to know she was hurting. It was odd, looking at it from this lens.

The relief was almost palpable four days later when the alarm finally blared. Dealing with conflicting emotions may be difficult, but fighting as a team came naturally. This might be the opportunity they all needed to get things back on track.

"Just a little farther Titans," Robin said, flipping over a crack in the cliff side. The signal had led them to a flat rocky ledge overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Although to be honest, it was hard to even see the water, seeing as the sun had already set. As Robin's pace began to slow, Raven instinctively gazed around, preparing for an attack. She became confused when she scanned the stone clearing and could not locate an opponent.

"What exactly are we supposed to be looking for?" Beast Boy asked, once he had changed from a pterodactyl to his human form.

"I'm not sure," Robin said, looking at the signal on his communicator in frustration. "The signal says the threat should be-"

He was cut off as a massive glob of red sludge smacked into all five Titans from the side, knocking the wind out of them. Raven landed roughly by the edge of the cliff, using her powers to keep Cyborg and Robin from falling. As the Titans shakily rose to their feet, Raven got a good look at their attacker. Her eyes widened in disbelief at what she saw.

Ternion. The merged form of Plasmus, Cinderblock and Overload. They had fought him once in what seemed like years ago while they were battling Terra. Raven could already feel the power surging from the creature in front of them, and she knew they were in trouble.

"No way," Cyborg said beside her, his eyes bulging. "How'd they form again?"

"However it happened, they didn't do it on their own," Robin observed before taking out a bird-a-rang. "Titans, go!"

Raven levitated in front of the monster, summoning her words to lift a boulder beside her. She threw the rock into Ternion, who merely molded its body around the stone. It reached out its arm and sprayed gallons of sludge out of the appendage, soaking the empath even more. She fell to the ground, trying to tear her limbs from the mess.

She glanced up as Cyborg charged forwards, launching his shoulder rockets. Ternion growled in anger as the weapons exploded on its chest. The creature charged Cyborg, swinging wildly and tossing the half-robot into Beast Boy.

Robin tossed his bird-a-rang at Ternion, momentarily distracting it, so he could place a well-timed kick at the villain's chest. Ternion stumbled backwards, hunching in pain as starbolts rained on it from above. Starfire flew expertly around the creature, missing its attacks easily and shooting starbolts where she could. Raven watched in slight awe as the alien maneuvered so simply around the creature, as if she could do it in her sleep.

Unfortunately, Robin did not have the ability of flight, and rather than focus on Starfire, Ternion decided to go for the Titans' leader. Starfire, in order to protect Robin, intercepted Ternion, but the creature snatched her leg. It slammed her into the Earth once, twice, and then released her. She rolled forcefully along the ground.

Beast Boy charged in the form of a rhino, being the first one to effectively knock Ternion of its feet. The creature grunted as it stood up, using Overload's power to shock the changeling back to his human form.

Cyborg, Raven and Robin raced in from all sides. Raven created a black disk in order to give Robin a boost into the air. The Boy Wonder whipped out his staff and plunged it into Ternion's shoulder, cutting off its arm. Cyborg used his sonic cannon to blast it in the center of its chest. Ternion screamed in pain, receding into a pile of goo, stone, and sparks.

Starfire and Beast Boy rose and approached their friends, gazing down at the defeated villain.

"Huh," Beast Boy said. "That was easier than I thought."

No sooner had he spoken those words than did Ternion reform, and in a surge of energy, sludge and stone, it slammed into all five Titans once more, smacking their bodies mercilessly and causing them to roll over the cliff side.

All five of them crashed into the stone clearing several feet down, Raven doing the best she could to protect them from the brunt of the fall. She moaned; every part of her body ached. Her head spun too much for her to attempt to check on her friends, but she could tell by their grunts of pain and attempts at movement that they weren't too seriously injured.

That didn't mean they could face another attack though.

Ternion smacked down into the clearing, making the whole level shake. Raven tried to prop herself up, grimacing in pain. They couldn't fight it yet; they needed more time.

"That's enough," a smooth voice spoke, and Raven felt her breath leave her.

 _No. Please, no._

Ternion backed off at once, leaving the Titans to writhe in their pain. Raven opened her eyes, her vision turned sideways as the side of her face lay on the rocky ground. She watched in horror as a pair of steel-toed boots calmly walked into the clearing, pausing to look around at the fallen Titans.

She expected him to go to Robin, or her, or maybe even Beast Boy, but he stepped over the Boy Wonder, and walked past the empath's injured form. He didn't even pause to glance down at Beast Boy who stared defiantly up at the villain. He didn't address any of them.

Slade finally stopped in front of Starfire, using the edge of his boot to lightly prod her side. The alien grunted in discomfort, her eyes still closed but her face smeared in dirt.

"Don't touch her," Robin rasped from where he lay, clutching his ribs.

Slade ignored him, instead bending down to examine the girl in front of him. Raven watched as his hand came up to grab a fistful of her red hair. He tugged his fist upwards, the force lifting Starfire's head off the ground. She cried out softly, but other than that, she didn't stir awake. Slade carefully took a blade from his belt and swiped it fluidly along the skin of her scalp, taking a few strands of hair with it.

He released her hair, allowing her head to thump back against the ground. He picked up the stands he had cut, running a thumb over them delicately.

"Thank you for the donation," he said softly, glancing down at the injured girl. "It won't go unused."

Raven lifted her hand, her powers charging through her fingertips. _"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos,"_ she murmured, a surge of black energy blasting Slade into the cliff ledge. The villain grunted as his back slammed into the rock wall, completely caught off guard.

A few large rocks fell around him, the dust obscuring him and Ternion from view. Sometime during the results of her attack, Raven's vision flickered into blackness, but it felt like only moments had passed before someone was shaking her shoulder.

"Raven…Raven! Are you alright?"

Raven blinked open her eyes, frowning when she saw Robin's swollen face hovering above hers. She wearily lifted her head, glancing around and noticing they were all still in the clearing. Cyborg and Beast Boy came into view next, both smiling in relief. Starfire flew to her side, a small clump of shortened hair being the only indication that Slade had touched her.

"What happened?" Raven questioned, annoyed with herself that she had been the last to recover.

"Slade and Ternion escaped," Cyborg explained. "We were all down for the count, so we couldn't stop them in time."

"Whatever Slade's up to, he planted Ternion as a distraction so he could get to Starfire," Robin concluded.

Raven's eyes flickered to Starfire's missing strands. "Why would he want her hair?" she asked, still thoroughly confused.

Beast Boy shrugged. "Maybe he's going bald?" The others tossed him annoyed looks in response causing the green Titan to backtrack. "He-he, never mind."

"He did seem to do the targeting of me, which is most unusual," Starfire pointed out. "He has never done so before."

"I say we head back to the Tower to sort this thing out," Robin suggested tiredly.

Raven couldn't argue with that.

After she had healed some of their more troublesome injuries, the team began the trip home. Starfire had her arms looped around Robin's underarms, Raven mirroring the position with Beast Boy so he could talk. Cyborg flew alongside them with his jet heels. The invention still needed some adjustments judging by the shaky way the half-robot navigated the air, but he managed.

"Dang, I don't know how you girls do it. This flying thing is no joke!" Cyborg commented, waving his arms in order to steady his body.

"Levitation is easier to manipulate once you gain control," Raven said, not attempting to be modest. "Flying requires significantly more skill."

"Well the way Star flew circles around that giant Franken-thingy was pretty sweet," Beast Boy said, casting a grin at his red haired teammate. Starfire smiled shyly in response.

Robin joined the conversation, using it as a welcome distraction from Slade for the time being.

 _That's a first,_ Raven thought. _Then again, it may be more for Starfire's benefit than for his._

"Can all Tamaraneans fly like you can, Star?" Robin inquired.

Starfire blinked in thought, a small smile forming on her face at the thought of her home planet, despite not being able to visit anymore. "Most people on my planet can achieve flight from when they are newborns. I suppose in comparison to other Tamaraneans, my flight would be considered to be above average."

"Can Blackfire fly as well as you?" Raven questioned, getting sucked into the conversation.

Starfire frowned. "When my sister was a small child, she was very sickly. She was born with abnormal coloring, and she could not fly for many years. When the Psions captured us, I was the first to escape." She paused, furrowing her eyebrows as she recalled the memory. "I used my newfound abilities to free her, but by the time I had, her body had been pumped with far more energy than mine had. Her starbolts are therefore more powerful than mine. She is proud of this fact, and has also made a note to tell others she is the better fighter largely for this reason. Despite her superior power, I have bested her on rare occasions, for I am the better flyer."

"I have noticed you're more graceful than her," Robin commented. "It's a shame she's betrayed you so many times. You probably could have shown her a few tricks."

Starfire sighed. "In the past I believed she would abandon her hateful ways, but I was mistaken. I do hope that wherever she is, she finds happiness, and that it is not at the expense of others."

Raven caught Cyborg's face flinch. While she was a hundred percent positive Starfire had not meant for the comment to be aimed at him, she could tell that the cybernetic Titan was already feeling guilty about his predicament and might have taken it that way.

When the Titans returned home, however, the atmosphere didn't return to its tense nature as it had been the past couple of days. Robin had suggested that the other Titans help him do some detective work on Slade to figure out why he suddenly had a personal vendetta against Starfire. The other Titans, including Raven, readily agreed.

As they sat around the kitchen counter, exchanging files and offering input, Raven studied all of her friends. They were all tired and still covered in dirt from the battle, and she was sure she looked no different. What struck her was how involved all of them were in this case concerning Slade, and while they handled it seriously, there was an excitement that was present to be working together like this.

Raven smiled a little to herself, even more so as she felt Beast Boy's hand reach next to her and take her hand. Maybe they were all just using this case as a distraction. Maybe everyone was so animated because they knew the time they had as a team was limited. Maybe things wouldn't be exactly the same as before, but this was the first sign that maybe, just maybe, they could make it through this.

~0~0~0~

A few days later, Raven sat on the roof of the Tower, finishing her latest meditation session. There had been no sign of Slade the past couple of days, and the Titans weren't sure if this should be considered a good thing or not. Starfire's hair had grown back remarkably fast, especially with a little help from Raven's healing powers. She had repaired the damaged roots in one session, and Starfire's remarkable self-healing via sunlight had finished the job.

Raven sighed, shifting her shoulders in the early afternoon sun. She had come out to enjoy the cool breeze while she waited for Beast Boy. They had had dinner plans later that evening, but Robin had requested a word with Beast Boy, so Raven had suggested postponing their date. No doubt Robin wanted to talk to the changeling about an appropriate period for them to switch aliases and costumes, and Raven wanted to give them all the time they needed.

She heard footsteps approaching from behind her and assuming it was Beast Boy remarked, "If you're going to try to squeeze me from behind again, don't bother. You aren't exactly subtle in your approach."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear that," Cyborg remarked, sitting next to her.

Raven's face flushed in horror for a moment at her error, but she forced herself to get over it once she noticed the somber expression on her friend's face.

"Is everything okay?" she asked cautiously.

Cyborg heaved a sigh. "Yeah and no. I've been thinking it over and…maybe I should turn down the League's offer."

Raven stared at him in shock. "Why would you do that?"

Cyborg regarded her seriously. "'Cuz I can see what it's doing to the team. I know y'all are pretending for my benefit, but I know what's going on. I'm hurting everyone." He looked off to the side, his eyebrows furrowed. "It's just better if I stay."

Raven placed a hand on top of his. "That is the most idiotic thing ever to have come out of your mouth."

Cyborg's head snapped up to her in surprise. "What?"

Raven shook her head, smiling faintly. "Of course your leaving is going to hurt. How could it not? We've known each other for so long, been with each other through everything; through the end of the world." She glanced at him knowingly. "Just because things change, doesn't mean it has to be for the worst. You belong with the Titans, sure, but you could belong with the League too. Besides," she said, smirking, "if you turned down a position alongside Superman, none of us would ever forgive you."

Cyborg stared at her for one long moment before a huge smile broke on his face. He wrapped Raven in a tight hug, and she raised an arm to return it. As he pulled away, he beamed down at her. "Anyone ever tell you that you'd make a good therapist?"

Raven rolled her eyes affectionately.

A few hours later, Beast Boy found her in the hallway. She noticed he was completely out of breath. "There you are!" he heaved. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Care to tell me why?"

He grinned. "I'm taking you out to dinner."

"We're still going?"

"Oh yeah, Babe. I got _loads_ to tell you."

~0~0~0~

The two Titans walked side by side through downtown Jump, heading in the direction of a Greek restaurant. It was Raven's suggestion. She couldn't help it; she was feeling sentimental. It had gotten to that time in the day where the sun had almost entirely set, but faint shadows still followed their forms on the pavement. Raven watched them absentmindedly as she listened to Beast Boy's retelling of Robin's talk with him.

"…Then after we get our costumes ready to go, we'll change. I think Rob's gonna make an announcement first though," he pondered.

Raven's eyes flicked up to his. "Announcement? So you think he'll leave then?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "I really don't know. Even if he does I don't really think it'll be a shocker to anyone. I mean you overheard that convo between him and Star, and Cyborg's definitely picking something up anyway." As they passed an alleyway, Raven paused, staring into the shadows when she detected movement. Beast Boy remained oblivious as he continued to walk forwards. "Can't really keep secrets in the Tower I guess," he said, laughing mildly. He halted when he noticed Raven was no longer beside him. He turned around, raising an eyebrow. "You good?"

"Yeah," Raven said distractedly, her eyes narrowing as she stared down the alleyway. There was a gentle spark of light in the distance.

 _What is that?_

Raven's upper body abruptly jerked backwards as something collided with her forehead. The pain was acute as it pierced the center of her head. She fell backwards with a cry, one of her hands coming up to press against her chakra.

"Raven!" Beast Boy yelled, rushing to her side.

She took his hand, wincing as her forehead throbbed. After a moment had passed the pain stopped, but she felt a foreboding feeling wash over her.

"Are you okay?" Beast Boy asked urgently, scanning over her body for injuries.

"My chakra," she murmured, confused. _What was that light?_

Beast Boy looked thoroughly lost, but before he could ask another question, their communicators rang. Beast Boy answered his and faced it towards them when he saw it was Robin.

"Raven, Beast Boy, come in," Robin ordered.

"We're here," Beast Boy answered.

"We picked up Slade's signal by the old church at the edge of the city. We're heading there now, but we need your help. Do you copy?"

Beast Boy glanced at Raven, his worry about her condition prominent on his face.

"I'm fine," she hissed, a little harsher than she meant to. She blamed the dull ache in the front of her skull.

Beast Boy gazed down at his communicator. "Yeah, we copy. Be there soon." When the transmission ended, he regarded her carefully. "Maybe I should fly us there."

"I'm not an invalid," Raven snapped, surprising herself with the ferocity in her tone. She blinked. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he replied, a little unsurely.

She swallowed. "I'm fine, really…but if it makes you feel better you can fly us there," she relented, her fingers absently brushing her chakra.

Beast Boy smiled. "I'll make the trip nice and easy for ya, I promise."

 _Does nice and easy suddenly mean shaky and nauseating?_ Raven thought as she rode on Beast Boy's back. He had formed into a pterodactyl and while he did have remarkable control even with her on his back, the uneven flapping of his wings was making her nauseous.

They landed in a grassy clearing bordering the city. They followed a dirt trail that led to the abandoned church up the road. Raven studied the peeling white paint and the grime of the stained glass windows of the church. Even she could admit there was something ominous about this place.

"Ready?" she questioned, turning her head to Beast Boy. The changeling nodded. Raven raised her hands in front of her, summoning her words and breaking open the doors. The two Titans raced inside, the dirt ground mixed with broken tile crunching beneath their feet. As they walked further into the church, the doors slammed shut behind them, causing them to jolt.

"Raven, Beast Boy!" Robin called. Their heads snapped in his direction and they realized all three of their friends were chained in Titanium bindings. They started to run in the direction of their imprisoned friends. "Don't!" Robin shouted. "It's a trap! Slade-"

"Don't give away the surprise just yet," Slade's voice cut in as he emerged from the darkness. Beast Boy and Raven pivoted their bodies, poised to attack, but Slade didn't even bat his eye. He stood observing them with his hands folded behind his back.

Beast Boy morphed into a lion, letting out a mighty roar as he charged, Raven right behind him. Slade didn't move a muscle. He just stood there, waiting. Raven's eyes widened as she saw the light from the alleyway appear behind the villain's back.

"No-" she started, but her and Beast Boy were blown backwards by a wave of energy. Raven felt the dirt scrape up her legs and arms as she landed, Beast Boy rubbing his head in his human form beside her. Raven seized up as a wave of pain hit her skull, a reminder of the attack earlier in the day.

She struggled to sit up as a new pair of boots came into view. They walked in a way that was cocky, as if the battle had already been won. Raven knew those boots. After all, one of her teammates had a nearly identical pair.

Blackfire bent down in front of her, an eyebrow raised in her trademark condescending expression. "Sorry," she said in away that made it apparent she wasn't at all. "I really have nothing against you Titans, but my revenge against my little sister is far more important than keeping face."

Her eyes flickered to Raven's forehead. The empath felt a surge of panic run through her. Not many people knew about chakras, but she just happened to be in the presence of the only other non-Azarathian who knew all about their intricacies.

Blackfire must have noticed her realization, for the corner of her mouth turned upwards right before she plunged her glowing fingers into Raven's forehead.


	21. Titans Forever pt 2

**Author's Note** : _The following chapter includes plot points from the actual comics, including action scenes and their outcomes, specifically involving Blackfire. No, I don't own the actual comics either. (Sobs)._

 _ **Potential new story ideas:**_

" _Tease" – Explores the idea that somewhere along the way, Beast Boy's teasing of Raven became flirting. (romance/humor)_

" _In Lust" – When Raven's powers begin to feed off the lust Robin and Starfire have for one another, one green Titan gets caught in the crossfire. (romance/humor/drama, the idea of Raven drawing lust from Robin and Stafire is cannon in the comics)_

 _Let me know if either one of these stories would be interesting/worth working on! Both would be multi-chapters, but I'm not sure how long._

~0~0~0~

Raven screamed as Blackfire plunged her fingers into the gem on her forehead, further damaging her chakra. The villainess must have studied them well to know what inflicting harm could do.

Raven's chakra contained her demon self and all the evil desires that came with it. Sealing them to her forehead was the best way to contain them, but if tampered with, her demonic side could win over.

Raven heard Beast Boy cry out as he raced towards her, but Slade intercepted him. Beast Boy transformed into a bear, charging at Slade and slashing out with his claws. The villain dodged his attacks easily, while buying Blackfire time.

"Sister, please!" Starfire cried. "Stop this at… _once!"_ With a yell, Starfire whipped her head around wildly, using her eyebolts to finally knock Blackfire to the side. The raven-haired girl collapsed on the ground, but rose just as quickly, too pleased with her work to care about being thrown.

"You're too late, little sister," Raven heard Blackfire say, and then everything went red.

The sounds of Slade battling Beast Boy became background noise. Raven barely noticed her friends chained to the wall. All she could sense was Blackfire's wrath, her greed, and her desire for revenge.

Raven fed off of it, wanting more.

"Demon Girl," Blackfire barked, approaching the empath. "Take us to the Citadel."

 _"No!"_ Starfire cried, but it fell on deaf ears.

Raven fell on her hands and knees, her voice possessed by that of her demon side. _"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"_ she screamed, and all seven of them were swept up in her powers.

When Raven collapsed onto the grounds of the Citadel, she clutched her head, fighting against her demon self. She could hear footsteps approaching her, and she could make out familiar purple shoes with black strapping.

" _Stay away from me,"_ she growled at Beast Boy, not wanting to hurt him. She tossed her head back and forth. Even in her agony she could still make out features of the place she had teleported them to.

It appeared to be a training grounds area spanning hundreds of feet from all sides. The sky above them was tinted in fiery reds and bright purples, the grounds a burnt orange. Large magenta mountains divided the area, and a massive boiling purple river ran out from under them.

Raven's head whipped around as she sensed her friends on the ground behind her. They rose to their feet, staring at her in horror.

"Raven," Beast Boy said, not moving away from her despite her orders. "It's okay. It's just me."

Raven's demon side prickled in pleasure at the sound of Blackfire's menacing cackle several meters away. "I damaged her chakra with my starbolts," the Tamaranean gloated, placing her hand on her hips. "Her demon side has overtaken her."

Sure enough as Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg went to charge the malicious alien, Raven threw up a shield, preventing them from getting anywhere close to Blackfire.

Blackfire turned her head as Slade came to stand beside her. "I believe I'm owed something," he said.

"You first," Blackfire said, narrowing her eyes.

Slade hesitated for a moment and then pulled out the clump of Starfire's hair he had torn from her head. Blackfire snatched the whisps from his grasp and in turn, tossed him a glowing, circular stone, which he attached to the front of his belt. Blackfire bent over and dipped Starfire's hair into the boiling water for just a moment. As the ends started to singe, she crunched the strands into a little sphere and swallowed it whole.

The Titans, sans Raven, watched in disgust as Blackfire screamed, the burning ball of fire filling her body. As the pain faded from Blackfire's features, she gazed at the other Titans, her eyes glowing a fierce purple.

"I propose a duel little sister," she said, cocking her head to the side. "A proper duel, here in the Citadel. Just you and me. Although I should warn you, the river's burning magical properties mixed with your DNA have made me invincible to your starbolts!" Blackfire grinned madly.

Starfire threw a concerned glance at Raven, before taking to the air, her eyes glowing bright. "This does not make a difference to me. I accept your challenge, traitorous sister. You will not hurt my friends any longer."

"Oh, I don't care about your friends," Blackfire replied, also rising into the purple sky. "My revenge only concerns you. Don't you worry though, there's someone else who's agreed to take care of them."

At that moment Raven's shield came completely down, and Slade began walking lazily over to the other Titans. The gem he wore glistened from his belt. "The Stone of Altarra Prime," he stated, and through her red haze Raven recalled Blackfire had told her that was where she had learned about chakras back when they had first met. Slade paused a few feet in front of Raven and Beast Boy, the latter coming in front her in defense. "Don't bother," Slade said, his smooth voice coated in scorn. "Your efforts are wasted!"

As Beast Boy transformed into a rhino and charged, Slade braced himself for the attack. When the green Titan finally collided with him, all the force that was directed at Slade came barreling back into the changeling. Beast Boy fell backwards, switching back into his human form and sliding beside Raven, his head spinning dangerously. Raven cried out in a mixture of horror and enjoyment at seeing him injured beside her. She gripped her head again, crying out and fighting her demon self the best she could. Meanwhile the battle of the Tamaranean sisters above them had begun.

Robin bounded forwards with Cyborg right alongside him. They raced in Slade's direction, the villain already prepared for their attack.

"Beast Boy, help Raven!" Robin cried as he passed them.

As Beast Boy steadied himself, he began to crawl towards Raven slowly. The empath hissed at him, not trusting herself to move from her current position. Her hands gripped the ground and her legs remained tucked under her. She could feel the tips of her shoes grind into the dirt as she fought to keep her hold on her sanity.

"Raven," Beast Boy said softly, only a couple feet from her now.

" _Don't,"_ Raven half-growled, half-begged.

"You can do this," he said, scooting closer, the sounds of their friends battling in the background.

 _I can't. I'm sorry. "Get away, now!"_ she cried, gripping her head once more. _"I can't fight this."_ A swirl of black energy circled around the two Titans, blocking them off from the others.

"You don't have to fight it!" Beast Boy yelled over the noise her powers were making. "You're already stronger than it! You don't have to hide this part of you anymore!"

 _I…don't have to fight?_

"You've allowed yourself to feel before, I've seen it!" he continued, kneeling in front of her and gripping her by the arms. Her red eyes stared back at him. "You can do it again. I know you're scared, Rae. I'm freakin' terrified too…but you don't have to fight anymore! You're stronger than that side of you. It will be okay. I promise!"

Beast Boy hugged her tightly as the powers surged violently around them. Very tentatively, Raven brought her arms around him, and the floodgates opened. Every emotion she had tried to conceal came pouring through. Rage. Happy. Timid. Fear. Jealous. Wisdom. Brave. Sloth. Rude. Passion. Hope.

 _I don't need to fight. I need to feel,_ she realized. Garfield was right. The power of her good emotions greatly overpowered the evil inside her. The tunnel of her powers ebbed around them, the wind starting to settle. Raven's eyes returned to her normal color, but when she pulled back from Beast Boy she noticed her hair had grown past her shoulders, and her robes were a stark white.

Beast Boy stared back at her, his eyes watering slightly.

"Gar," she whispered, not knowing what to say, "Thank you."

She would have attempted a more impressive sentence, but both Titans were startled by the noises around them. They rose immediately, discovering their friends were fighting for their lives…and losing.

The right side of Robin's face was coated in blood, and he ran with a slight limp. Several wires were poking out of various limbs on Cyborg's body. Every time they launched an attack at Slade, the villain used the stone to push the force of the blows right back into them.

Starfire wasn't fairing much better. Her starbolts were essentially useless due to the potion Blackfire had ingested. The redhead's body was singed badly along her torso and arms. Like Robin and Cyborg, she appeared to be mostly on the defensive.

"We should help Star first," Beast Boy said, his face taut with worry as their friend slammed into the mountainside.

Raven shook her head. "As much as I want to, we can't interfere. This is a duel between them. Starfire would never forgive us if we intervened in a challenge reserved for Tamaranean warriors."

Beast Boy looked like he wanted to argue, and Raven couldn't blame him. She thought rituals that involved fights to the death were barbaric, but it was this culture that Starfire was raised on. Since she was banished from Tamaran it probably meant more to her now than ever.

Besides, by the looks of things, Robin and Cyborg desperately needed their help. Raven levitated towards the battling trio, her white robes billowing behind her. Beast Boy followed in hot pursuit. Slade had just thrown Robin again, but Raven caught him in her powers and placed him gently down. The Titans' leader turned to her, surveying her appearance in disbelief, and then a wide smile graced his bruised features.

"It's good to have you back," Robin said.

Raven nodded, landing next to him. She gazed at Beast Boy. "Think you can keep Slade busy?" she asked. The changeling nodded, transforming into a cheetah and bounding over to aid Cyborg. Raven snapped her chin in Robin's direction. "What's the plan?"

Robin's chest heaved, and he placed his hand by his ribs. Raven pressed her hand to his wound, healing as quickly as she could while he spoke. "No matter what attack we use, he just uses the stone to deflect it right back at us. He's using all of our energy against us. He's not even tiring." Robin winced as Raven healed the rib that had been bothering him. "We need to change our tactics to restraining rather than attacking head on. Thanks by the way," he said, finding he could stand up straight without grimacing.

"Don't mention it," she replied, narrowing her eyes as Cyborg was knocked to the ground next. "Restraining you say? I think I can manage that."

Robin and Raven moved towards the action, so Beast Boy could get a break. The Titan had been dodging Slade's attacks as a cheetah, forcing the villain to actually throw some of his own punches instead of reflecting the attacks meant for him. When Beast Boy saw his friends approaching, he backed off, giving Raven a turn.

The pale girl summoned her powers, her longer than usual hair whipping around her. She levitated four boulders around Slade, boxing him in. She paused as he became obscured, landing on the ground to get a better look at her work. What she didn't expect was for the boulders to be absorbed in black energy and tossed back at her just as easily. Raven created a force field to deflect the attack, but she was stunned nonetheless. How were they supposed to restrain a villain without the use of their powers?

"We need to get close enough to grab that stone," Robin shouted over the crashing of rocks.

"Got it!" Beast Boy called back, morphing into a hawk and dropping down on Slade's shoulders in the form of a spider monkey. The changeling ran wildly along the villain's shoulders, making desperate grabs for the gem on his belt buckle. He was tossed off moment later, Cyborg catching him before he could hit the ground.

"Such pitiful attempts," Slade taunted, cracking his knuckles. "And here I thought you used to be marginally formidable."

Cyborg, not being informed of the plan yet, sprinted towards the criminal again, firing his sonic cannon at Slade's feet. The latter held out his hands, capturing the blue energy in his hands and then releasing it in a wave, sending all four Titans into the dirt.

Raven moaned, feeling her head spin again. When she opened her eyes it was hazy, but she could make out Slade approaching Robin. He heaved the boy to his feet, forcing him to stand.

"Get up," he said sternly, shaking the boy in consciousness. "I'm not finished with you yet."

Robin came to and flipped out of Slade's reach, clipping him in the jaw. Slade's head jerked backwards at the unexpected assault. As Robin held his fists out, prepared to fight, Slade slowly moved his head to the side, cracking his neck muscles.

"That's more like it," he said menacingly, and then charged.

Raven watched the two of them battle; using a series of combinations that she could never pull off in her dizziest daydreams. She attempted to stand up but the pounding in her head was too great for her to be of any use.

Robin, usually one for a little banter, was deadly serious. He grunted violently, twisting out of Slade's grasp and landing a few hard punches before dodging another attack. Slade fought with smooth expertise, not even seeming to tire in the slightest.

Raven gasped weakly as Robin finally slipped up and Slade slammed the boy's front into a rock wall, holding his arm behind his back.

"It's always been down to you, hasn't it Robin?" he whispered.

Raven rose shakily to her feet, Beast Boy and Cyborg doing the same beside her. Slade had their back to them, but she could tell from the way Robin's face muscles twitched that the Boy Wonder saw them in his periphery.

"I'll do anything it takes to stop you," Robin grunted against the boulder barrier.

 _He's buying us time._ Raven glanced to Cyborg and Beast Boy and the two nodded, ready to execute what they had to in order to end this.

Slade slammed Robin back into the rock, and the teen cried out. "I've waited a long time for this," Slade said, placing his other hand on the back of Robin's skull, preparing to crush it into the rock barrier.

The villain jerked backwards in shock as black energy caused the ground to crack beneath his feet. Robin used Slade's distracted state to whip around and grab the stone from his belt, tossing it over his shoulder. Beast Boy jumped into the air as a hawk and grabbed it in his talons. The green Titan flew over the giant, boiling river and released the stone into its depths.

Effectively rendered far less powerful than before, Slade fell to the side as Cyborg shot him again with his sonic cannon, this time being successful. As he attempted to rise, Raven trapped him in her powers, which extended as a giant, black, hand. Slade struggled against her hold on him, but he was finally subdued. The other Titans, content that Slade could not escape his current imprisonment, turned their attention to the skies where another battle had been raging.

Starfire had burnt patches all over her body. Due to her starbolts being useless against her opponent, she really had no other attack methods except for her alien strength. This proved difficult to use, however, for every time she flew close to Blackfire, the black-haired girl would blast her down several feet.

"Give up pathetic little sister," Blackfire laughed, her hands rippling with purple energy. "Your demise is inevitable, and I will finally have my revenge."

"Your hatred is pointless," Starfire fired back, soaring higher into the air. "I have renounced Tamaran. I am no longer eligible for the throne."

Blackfire scoffed. "You think I still care about our pathetic home planet? You're mistaken. I merely came to finish what I started all those years ago." She shot her eyebeams at Starfire, who narrowly avoided them. Both aliens paused in the air as sounds of thunderous footsteps began to echo all around the Citadel training grounds.

"Uh…what is that?" Beast Boy asked his friends nervously. Raven looked around wildly with the rest of the Titans. Even Slade seemed to be a little unsettled.

Blackfire smirked at her sister as the latter's face turned from determination to horror. "That's right Starfire. Even if you manage to survive _me_ ,you and your friends will be torn apart for trespassing on the Citadellians sacred training grounds. Lucky for me, I'm planning to be long gone by then. So you see, there really is no point. After all, I always was the better fighter."

Raven's head shot up to Starfire. Robin must have understood the same thing because he desperately tried to get his girlfriend's attention. Raven realized his efforts were in vain, for it seemed Blackfire's words had already triggered a realization in Starfire.

The redheaded alien flew up higher, her eyes no longer glowing. "Perhaps, but _I_ am the better _flyer."_

The other Titans cheered Starfire on as she wove quickly around Blackfire, thoroughly infuriating the villainess when she could not hit her mark. Starfire's flying patterns became erratic after a while and at first Raven thought that she might be tiring. As the girl twisted and turned closer to the boiling river and up by the mountainside, however, the empath discovered her friend's plan.

"You _will_ perish by my hand!" Blackfire screamed, flying closer to the mountainside and harnessing a tremendous amount of energy in her fists. Starfire paused in front of a rocky ledge. Blackfire hurled her starbolts at her sister, but Starfire was too quick. She dove out of the way and landed on the ground next to her friends. Blackfire whipped around in anger, preparing to smite from her place in the air when a cracking noise snapped her attention back to the mountain.

The force of her starbolts had broken off a significant portion of the purple rock, sending boulders tumbling down onto the black-haired Tamranean. Blackfire shrieked as she was hit, plummeting into the purple boiling river and disappearing into its depths.

The Titans grimaced at what appeared to have been a rather gruesome demise. Starfire stared into the river where Blackfire had been only moments before. She had no time to mourn the loss of her sister, for at that moment the Citadellians finally broke into the clearing.

Raven released Slade in shock, startled by the amount of hideous creatures that stood before them, vengeance glowing in their eyes. They had sickly light blue skin with fangs and white hair. Their bodies oozed with pus, and with each step they made a significant indent in the orange dirt. They paused for only a moment, surveying the trespassers. Then they shouted something in their native language and charged.

"Quickly Friends!" Starfire yelled. "We must get to the mountainside!"

That's all the motivation Raven needed. She felt Beast Boy beside her as they all sprinted for their lives, most of them too weak by now to summon the flight they needed to escape. Raven could feel the vibrations of their footsteps behind her, and she knew if she slipped up she would be torn apart.

Starfire made it to the mountainside first, using her strength to pound hand and foot ledges into the rock for the others to climb after her. Cyborg went next, followed by Robin, then Beast Boy and finally, Raven.

As they climbed higher, the Citadellians began smashing their fists and weapons against the mountainside, trying to get them to fall. Raven knuckles turned white as she gripped the stone ledges, holding on for dear life.

"Beast Boy!" Robin yelled down to the changeling. "See if you can fly up and help Star over to the other side of the crag!"

"What'll that do?" Beast Boy shouted back over the sound of the Citadellians' screams.

"I might be able to summon enough energy to teleport us back," Raven called up to Beast Boy, "but I need somewhere stable to stand so I can concentrate!"

Beast Boy tried to twist his head down to look at her, but nearly lost his balance. "Whatever you say!" he shouted before taking a deep breath. No doubt it was difficult for him to change in his weakened state, but after a few moments, he morphed into a hawk and flew upwards to help Starfire.

As the Titans kept climbing, the Citadellians' screams and bashings against the rock wall intensified. Raven continued to clamor up by using the rock ledges, her forehead soaked in sweat.

She gasped as she felt her cloak tug against her neck, choking her. She slid down the rock wall slightly, almost losing her grip on the rock. She glanced down in horror to find Slade had a fistful of her cloak in his hand.

"Leaving so soon?" he hissed.

Raven struggled against his grasp, her eyes wide in terror. "Let go of me," she gasped, struggling desperately.

"I don't think so," Slade replied. "Here's what is going to happen. You are going to teleport the two of us back _now,_ or I will throw you to be torn apart by these savages."

"I'd _never_ leave my friends," she bit back, trying to reach for the ledge above her.

"Pity. What a waste that someone so powerful will die in such a pathetic way." Slade tugged forcefully at her cloak, and Raven lost her hold on the rock ledge, feeling herself fall backwards. A green gloved hand grasped her wrist before she could plummet into the carnage several feet under them. Raven looked up in gratification as Robin smiled down at her, saving her from certain death.

Slade cursed, refusing to let go of his hold on Raven's cloak. The empath glanced sharply to the side as a green hawk dove downwards at the villain, attacking his neck and shoulders. Slade yelled in outrage, swatting at the changeling and eventually releasing Raven's cloak. As he made a mad swipe at the green Titan, he stumbled and lost his footing. Raven watched in horror as Slade's eye widened with realization. The villain dropped several feet down, his body immediately disappearing in the churning sea of Citadellians.

Raven didn't have much time to dwell on what she just witnessed, for she discovered some of the lizard-like creatures had begun to scale the mountainside.

"Come on!" Robin screamed as he continued to climb.

One by one Beast Boy helped the others over the mountainside. When it was Raven's turn, his talons gripped her shoulder to steady her as she dropped down onto a relatively stable ledge. The other Titans looked to her in alarm.

"You'll have to hold them off as for long as you can," Raven told them, her voice calm despite the fear she felt. "I need time to summon enough energy to teleport us home."

"We got you, Girl," Cyborg replied, but she could tell he was a little unsure of their odds for success.

"We will fight as long as it takes," Starfire affirmed, despite her exhausted demeanor.

"You can do this Raven," Robin said, nodding at her before turning to face the ledge they had just climbed over.

Raven felt Beast Boy squeeze her hand. She met his eyes, searching his wildly. He gave her a smile, taking her hand in both of his. "Not that you'll need it, but I'm told this is lucky," he said, placing a small object in her hand.

Raven turned it over to examine the penny she had given him for his birthday. Beast Boy gave her one last smile before going over to join the others. Raven took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She gave the penny a squeeze, feeling a rush of happiness enter her body. She tried to ignore the clashing of the battle around her, an indication that some of the Citadellians had finally reached her friends.

Robin was right. Beast Boy was right. She could do this.

" _Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!"_ she screamed, and a sphere of energy broke from her chest.

She felt herself leave the rocky ledge and become weightless for only a moment before landing harshly on a paved road in Jump City. When she opened her eyes, all of her friends blinked back at her. There injuries were plentiful, but thankfully none appeared to be too severe. They gazed at her in wonder, marveling at the power she possessed that was responsible for their return. They all seemed thoroughly exhausted and understandably rattled, but they were alive.

Raven turned to Beast Boy, holding out her hand containing the penny. "Here's your…" she paused, staring at the changeling. She could actually feel her energy draining from her body. She had pushed the limit on her powers, knowing it was her only option if she wanted to save her friends. She watched Beast Boy's face turn from happiness to horror. She wanted to tell him it was okay, that it would all be okay, but her vision faded too quickly and her world plunged into darkness.

~0~0~0~

Over the next several days, Raven was stuck in her healing trance. Occasionally she could hear voices and sense the others by her side, but her mind was too foggy to decipher who was who. When she at last opened her eyes she was in her bedroom, hovering over her bed.

She slowly drifted over the mattress, turning her body so her feet touched the floor. She noticed right away that her hair still fell past her shoulders, but she had on a fresh uniform. She smiled to herself. Starfire must have shoved the boys out as soon as they had gotten home, so she could tend to her.

Raven's head ached, her mind still muddled from her trance. She couldn't quite remember all that had happened, and for the time being she wanted to keep it that way. She moved to her dresser, pulling out a pair of scissors. She was no hairdresser, but she has cut her hair twice before; she could do it again.

She sighed, grasping the scissors and slicing the ends of her violet mane. When her hair was back to it's normal style, she exited her room and entered the bathroom down the hall. As she began to wash her face, something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Raven turned, gazing at a white uniform crumpled up in the corner by the shower. It was stained with dirt and blood, and the cloak was torn around the edges.

Memories came flooding back to Raven. Her demon self almost taking over her. Blackfire falling into the boiling river. Slade plunging into the pit of furious Citadellians.

Raven ran to the toilet and promptly threw up. Flushing the toilet, she winced as the mess disappeared. She turned back to the sink.

 _A think a good brush is in order,_ she thought, picking up her toothbrush.

When Raven finished cleansing herself, she walked into ops, searching for her friends. Starfire was in the kitchen, whipping up Azar knows what. Robin was flicking through channels with Beast Boy and Cyborg. All four Titans looked in the direction of the ops entrance, their faces immediately lighting up.

"Raven!" they all said simultaneously, bounding across the room to her. Starfire got to her first, crushing her in one of her hugs. As soon as the redhead released her, Beast Boy grabbed her by the shoulders, kissing her full on the mouth in front of the others. As he pulled away, Raven tried to quell the blush rising in her cheeks at the open affection. Cyborg drew her in for a hug, Robin following after him.

"It's good to see you up," the Titan leader mentioned as he pulled away.

"How long was I out?" Raven asked.

"About two weeks. Gave us all a scare," Cyborg told her.

Raven winced. "Sorry."

"Oh it is quite the okay! All that matters is that you are safe," Starfire said, beaming at her.

Raven smiled at Starfire, and then her expression sobered. "Blackfire….and Slade. Are they really…?"

Robin frowned. "It's hard to say."

"Knowing Slade, he could pop back up tomorrow," Beast Boy added cryptically.

Raven turned to Starfire. "I'm sorry about your sister, Star. I know even after everything…she meant a lot to you."

Starfire smiled sadly at her. "Blackfire chose her path long ago. I always hoped she would realize the error of her ways, but alas, she never did. If it is true, and she really has entered the afterlife, I hope she finds peace under _X'Hal."_

Raven nodded, absently fingering her chakra. She smiled to herself, noticing the cracks Blackfire had created had healed. She glanced at Beast Boy. "Do you have your penny?"

Beast Boy brandished the small copper coin, winking at her in response. He glanced at the others briefly before stepping closer to Raven. "Can I talk to you for a sec, Rae?"

"Sure," Raven said, raising an eyebrow. She gave a small smile to the others before she and Beast Boy left ops. "What do you want to talk about?" she asked, as he led her down the hallway and into his room. When the door shut behind them, Beast Boy turned to her, wringing his hands. Raven crossed her arms. "What is it, Gar?"

The changeling scratched the back of his head. "Well I just figured…since Robin and I were gonna make the switch soon…and I haven't really tried on my new costume yet…I thought maybe you'd want to see it too?"

Raven smirked. "You want to model your new uniform for me?"

Beast Boy blushed. "Well it sounds kind of dumb when you say it like that," he muttered.

Raven stepped towards him, reaching out and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm honored that I'll be the first to see you in it," she said, smiling. She paused, tilting her head to the side. A mischievous smile crossed her face. "But you know, you'll have to change out of this one first."

Beast Boy's bewildered expression shifted to mirror her own. "Sounds good to me," he said, swinging her around and attaching his mouth to hers.

~0~0~0~

The following week Raven and Starfire pulled Cyborg into ops, bringing him over to the back of the sofa.

"What's up with you two?" Cyborg said, laughing as Starfire turned his body so his lower back rested against the back of the black couch.

Starfire giggled. "What do you mean, Friend Cyborg? Raven and I are acting as we always do."

Raven smiled a little. She couldn't help it; she was excited. "Care to do the honors Starfire?" she asked, floating to one side of the ops door.

"Oh yes, very much so!" the alien said joyously, flying to the other side of the door and turning to face Cyborg. "Behold, the two _new_ members of the Teen Titans!"

The doors slid open and two male figures walked through. Cyborg straightened immediately, his face breaking into a wide smile. "Ah Man, I knew it!" he shouted, walking forwards to join his friends. He observed their costumes individually. One was a dashing combination of red and white, the other a sleek black with a blue symbol on the front. "Nightwing," Cyborg said, shaking the latter's hand. "Looking good. And Beast Boy, love the new look."

"It's Changeling now, actually," Changeling said, grinning.

"Cool, I dig it."

"Oh what a happy occasion this is!" Starfire cheered, gathering them all in an impromptu group hug. When she released them, Nightwing turned to address them all.

"I have an important announcement to make," he said, a little uncomfortably. "In light of Cyborg leaving, I've done a lot of thinking and well…I feel like it's best for me to..."

Changeling placed a hand on Nightwing's shoulder. "Dude, it's okay. We know."

Nightwing's mask widened. "You do?"

Cyborg chuckled. "I kind of guessed it myself. I always thought _you'd_ be the one to leave first, if we're being honest."

"This will be good for you," Raven added. "It'll give you the chance to work on your own; to decide which you like better. Besides," she continued, glancing at Starfire with a smile, "Changeling and I figured we'd be left in good hands."

Starfire beamed at her friends. Nightwing looked exponentially relieved as they told him what they already knew. "Thanks Titans. I really appreciate it."

"Hey now, let's not get all mopey just yet," Cyborg cut in. "We've still got a couple months left of kicking butt together!"

"Yeah, and you know that means I'll have plenty of time to kick _your_ butt on the latest version of _Mega Monkeys_ ," Changeling said mischievously.

"In your dreams, Green Bean!"

"Oh!" Starfire piped in, remembering something. "I have ordered a plentiful amount of the pizza," she said, flying over to the kitchen counter and pulling out dozens of boxes. "Perhaps we may gorge ourselves until we are sick?"

"Now you're talking, Girl," Cyborg said, racing over to the kitchen, Changeling close behind him.

Raven shook her head at their antics. Shooting a side-glance at Nightwing. "Where will you go?"

"Bludhaven. It's a rough city relatively close to Gotham," Nightwing replied.

Raven looked at him sadly. "That's pretty far."

Nightwing returned her melancholy expression. "Yeah. Hope you won't get too tired of teleporting to see me."

Raven smirked. "Just make sure you don't test me."

Nightwing laughed, and then the two of them went over to join their friends.

~0~0~0~

Later that day the five Titans sat on the roof of the Tower, watching the sunset together. Raven glanced down as a white gloved hand tangled with her own. The coloring looked foreign, but she knew in a matter of weeks Changeling's new look would feel completely ordinary.

Raven and Changeling glanced over at their friends, chuckling as Cyborg made a joke about Starfire running training regiments in comparison to Nightwing. When Starfire, Nightwing and Cyborg became enveloped in their own quiet conversation, Changeling turned to Raven.

"I guess everything's gonna be different now, huh?" he asked a little somberly.

"Yes, and no."

Changeling frowned. "What do you mean?"

Raven's eyes stared into his. "I think we might be pleasantly surprised at what the future holds for us."

"How do you know?"

Raven smiled. "I don't," she admitted. "It's just a feeling."

Changeling stared out at the horizon thoughtfully. He turned back to her after a few moments, looking at her affectionately. He began to take out his penny, but then paused before returning it to the pocket in his belt.

Raven gazed at him curiously. "What's wrong? This not happy enough for you to save in your penny?"

Changeling chuckled. "Actually, I just wanted to try enjoying the moment, instead of saving it for later."

Raven smiled. In a way, she understood him.

He grinned at her, his fang poking out. "Besides Rae, I have a feeling I'll have way more happy memories for that," he said, patting the penny beneath his belt, and then squeezing her hand.

Raven continued to stare at him, the smile never leaving her face. She turned her chin and watched as the sun finally disappeared. Funny, the future didn't scare her as much as it used to anymore.

She squeezed his hand back. If anything, it excited her.

The End.

~0~0~0~

 **Author's Note:** _Thank you so much to everyone who read this story and reviewed it. I put many hours into this FanFiction, and it really means a lot that others enjoyed it. I want to thank TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne again for acting as my beta reader and helping me make this story what I imagined it to be. Most of my other stories are Robin/Starfire fics, so this was a big change writing a long BB/Rae story, and I hope I did their characters justice._

 _I tried to make each chapter it's own story with connecting character arcs, which was the style of the original show. I thought it was important to write it this way if I was making a "season six." If I write another story about our favorite couples, it will be more romance based and light-hearted and will connect more from chapter to chapter. It will also most likely be a little shorter._

 _Let me know if either story I mentioned above is something you would like to see._

 _As of right now, this will likely be the last major story I write for at least a little while. Then again, I've gone on long hiatuses before, so I guess I don't even really know if this is the end. I'll certainly continue writing if they bring back the original Teen Titans, and honestly with how popular these characters are, anything is possible, especially if the rumors concerning a season six are true._

 _Until then, thank you to all my readers. Your support has made writing this worth it._


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